text: Taking the Busyness out of Business: Developing Great Work Teams ‹ Christian-Women-at-Work
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  Taking the Busyness out of Business: Developing Great Work Teams
  Are you ready to add great work teams to your business? Research indicates that effective teams almost always outperform individuals. If you have reviewed your responsibilities and tasks, and see the potential in establishing defined teams at work, now is the time to get started!
  Before you start inviting people to be on a specific team, it is crucial to set the team up properly from the start. This means clearly determining its goals and objectives. Simply defined, a goal is where you want to be and the objectives are the specific steps to reach that goal. A goal is a short and clear sentence which describes what you plan to achieve. It does not include how you are going to do it, but rather what the end result will be. The objectives for that goal will be very specific. The SMART approach works very well when setting goals as it is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. It includes the "what, when, where, and how" of reaching the goal and is a great approach to use with your team.
  As the owner, entrepreneur or manager, it is your responsibility to set the vision and goals for your business and for your team. The role of the team is to create the plan to achieve the required goals and objectives, monitor it along the way and analyze it at the end. To me, this is the fun part of being on a team as people are free to be creative and "think outside of the box." Your role is to step back, be supportive and available to consult. Time spent now on your vision, goals, and the role of the team, will save time and confusion later.
  Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for providing me with a business and all its opportunities. Help me to wisely manage it. Please search my heart for any barriers to sharing tasks and responsibilities, and help me to acknowledge them. Help me to throw off anything which is hindering me and that may mean holding onto too much control. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
  Monday: As you consider one of your main responsibilities, what is a major goal you have that you would like to focus on this week which would best be suited for a team approach?
  Tuesday: As you develop a team (or a new team) for your business, consider the workload they will have, which will impact when they should meet, how often and where.
  Wednesday: Taking time to be on a team, and develop a new project or product, will mean people on your team may need to take time from something else and/or add on more time to their schedule. Consider what changes may need to be made. Can you afford the extra cost of more staffing? Can you afford not to as you try to progress your business? Also, consider the hopefully "increased job satisfaction" which comes from being on a team.
  Thursday: If you have always done everything, are you now ready to share some of the controls and responsibilities? It will be important for you to be 100% on board. This does not mean you are not involved, nor incapable of doing the task. Rather, it means you are working as a team and acknowledging the many benefits. Write down all the benefits of having a team.
  Friday: What will be your role on the team? Will you be at every meeting? Will you just be at the first one and then occasional ones? Will your role be as a consultant or an active member? Consider your other responsibilities and the purposes of the team. One of the purposes is to free your time for what only you can do. To "throw off everything that hinders you" includes the things in your business you no longer need to do. Consider the 10/80/10 rule: Give 100% of your time and attention to the beginning and the end of the project. Check in every once in a while but let your team do what needs to be done. Let them be the drivers.