Team engagement strategies are essential for any business seeking to improve productivity and create a motivated, committed workforce. In this blog series, we share insights from support teams on how effective engagement strategies can enhance team dynamics and drive business success.
In previous blogs, we discussed the joys and challenges team members experience when working for entrepreneurs. In this final post, we focus on responses to one crucial question: “If you could change one thing in your business, what would it be?” These answers reveal valuable insights your team may have that can drive positive change and engagement.
How Team Engagement Strategies Can Reveal Blind Spots
Team members who act as intrapreneurs—those who show dedication and commitment as if the business were their own, despite no financial ownership—can help entrepreneurs see areas needing improvement. By collaborating on these insights, you can align perspectives, address challenges, and foster meaningful change in your business.
If You Could Change One Thing in Your Business, What Would It Be?
Here are the most common themes and responses from teams that can shape effective team engagement strategies:
- Dedicated Focus
“We constantly have a backlog, and my support is often redirected to other urgent tasks, leaving us overwhelmed with unfinished work.” - Strategic Growth Planning
“My boss wants to grow, pulling me into marketing, but we lack the capacity to do so. If we paused to set a clear strategy, we’d be better positioned for growth.” - Removing Growth Barriers
“We’re stalling due to a lack of team and systems to manage new business effectively.” - Autonomy and Trust
“If I could manage my tasks without constant oversight, I could support growth more effectively.” - Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome
“The boss frequently brings in new systems and products. We need to focus on implementing what we already have.” - Delegation and Focus
“Perfectionism leads to constant changes before we even test new initiatives, delaying progress.” - Decision-Making Confidence
“Whenever projects come back for approval, they get restructured. Fear of failure or success stalls our progress.” - Finishing Projects Fully
“We rarely complete initiatives before trying to implement them, creating unnecessary setbacks.” - Simplifying Operations
“Removing minor distractions would allow us to focus on impactful tasks.” - Aligning Priorities
“Our team and the business owner have mismatched priorities, despite shared goals.” - Consistent Priority Alignment
“Weeks go by without recalibrating our priorities, leading to reactive rather than strategic work.” - Avoiding ‘Meeting Amnesia’
“We often forget what was discussed in meetings, leading to a lack of follow-through.” - Proactive Problem-Solving
“Small issues escalate into crises because we don’t address them immediately.” - Ending the Constant ‘Catch-Up’
“We’re in a constant cycle of catching up, rather than getting ahead.” - Reducing Fire-Drill Operations
“Our work pace is dictated by the fires we need to put out, limiting strategic planning.” - Creating Regular Check-Ins
“We rarely meet due to packed schedules, which disrupts alignment and efficiency.” - Outsourcing Tasks to Increase Efficiency
“Delegating tasks we’re not skilled at would reduce stress and allow the team to focus on core responsibilities.”
Building Open Communication in Team Engagement Strategies
For businesses seeking to foster open, respectful, and productive communication, it’s crucial to empower teams to share honest insights. Listening to their responses, especially when they’re committed to positive outcomes, can lead to actionable solutions.
Consider enrolling your team in the Don’t Be a Yes Chick tele-training series to cultivate these types of transformative conversations. The next series starts on September 4th. Next series begins September 4th – contact info@hiringandempowering.com to register or with questions.
Explore our free resources at fire.h50.us/~hrgnmpwr/dev2/ for more strategies on building an empowered and engaged team.
