There’s a saying that we accept the love we think we deserve; the same can be said for the team we assemble to help us run and grow our businesses. The reality is that the team we build will only ever be as solid as our commitment to assembling and choosing to surround ourselves with quality and suitable personnel. Resume, work history and experience are all important criteria when populating our teams; however, there’s also that X-factor that makes perfect not only for our industry; but also our company. This usually comes down to how they interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.
To exhaust sports metaphors, we know from Shaq and Kobe and Jeter and A-Rod that star-power and chemistry are often mutually exclusive. Egos get in the way of doing business and pretty soon someone else’s hurt feelings are eclipsing your bottom line. This is completely unacceptable, particularly for those who are just beginning to plant their own flags in the business world. Personality goes a long way when choosing our core team. These are the people with whom you’ll theoretically be spending a majority of your professional hours, and it’s important to have the peace of mind of a shared vision.
When you’re looking to build a team look for people whose opinions differ but whose commitment to shared success is and willingness to give are identical. When we get right down to it, there are really only a few types of personalities out there and, although external approaches may be different, shared values should be the same. You’re looking for a person who will fight tooth and nail for what they think is right; but who will yield to the greater good; a person who has a vested interest in the success of the company, but realizes that nobody gets there alone. In the end, it’s values that get us out of bed in the morning and prompt us to do our best.
