Congratulations on your new job! Now the adventure begins.
When you start a new job one of your first things on the “to do list” is to create a great team. Becoming the new leader of an existing team can be challenging and involves gaining the respect and trust of those around you. Trust is the key. A team is not a group of people that work together, it is a group of people that trust each other. Before a boss begins telling people what they need to do, the first step needs to be to make a connection with each person so that they want to be part of your team. Connections with others build trust.
Try this exercise. Meet with each key person on your team and find out what they need to be successful at their job. Sit down in a neutral, quiet place with no desks between you and ask these three simple questions: What do you like about your job? What do you dislike about your job? and How can I help you? As a leader your number one priority should be to make things better for others. Naturally in long term care that is always the goal with patients, but that extends to staff as well. Find ways to help others get ahead and be successful in their job. In teambuilding everything eventually comes back to trust and if those on your team trust you to help them succeed, they will naturally want to follow you. Alternatively, if you trust others to do their job independently that will help improve job satisfaction. One main objective as a leader must be to encourage and inspire leadership in others. A great leader does not have a team of followers, they have a team of leaders.
As you plan and prepare for the coming year, including the team in that process will create a spirit of everyone coming together towards a common set of goals. Navigating the way to meet your goals is a major part of leadership. As the saying goes, “Anyone can steer a ship, it takes a leader to chart the course.” Simple goals that you can identify internally (outside of corporate metrics) will give everyone a sense of comradery. Something simple that doesn’t pile on additional stress such as: Recognize one staff member per month for going above and beyond the call of duty or Have team members commit to work the night shift on rotation each month. If as a leader you show everyone your commitment to the team, the results can be impactful.
Creating connections and trust lays the foundation to build a great team.
