The Keys to Building Great Teams

Google dedicated millions of dollars and countless hours of internal team members and external consultants to determine how to build great teams.  It's Project Aristotle evaluated 180 Google teams, conducted more than 200 interviews and analyzed 250 different team attributes.  Despite these efforts, the study came up empty.  There were no clear patterns that Google could point to that answered the question, how do you consistently create great teams?

 

Google then headed back to the drawing board, focusing on "group norms", traditions, behavioral standards and unwritten rules that dictate how teams operate.  According to an article in The New York Times, "Norms can be unspoken or openly acknowledged, but their influence is profound." 

 

Armed with this new perspective, Google researchers looked at unspoken customs among its highest performing teams and found five key characteristics of the best performers.  They were: 

• Dependability:  Highest performing teams meet deadlines and expectations.

• Structure and clarity:  High-performing teams have clear goals and well-defined roles. 

• Meaning:  The work performed is personally significant to each group member.

• Impact:  Members believe their work is purposeful and contributes to the greater good.

• Psychological safety:  Group members feel comfortable taking risks, voicing their opinions and asking judgment-free questions.  There is a comfort level - that team members can be themselves and are willing to step outside of safety zones. 

There is no scientific algorithm that guarantees outstanding performance.  However, focusing on the five norms will definitely increase the possibility of a dream outcome.

Managing Customers' Expectations, by Traci D'Antoni (D'Antoni Sales Group)

Everyone has had that customer - the one who isn't happy about the price, the lead-time, the installation or the quality of the product. How can you avoid these issues in the future?

Give realistic lead times - generally, lead times do not include transit times so build those into your lead time estimates. If there is going to be a delay, advise the customer as soon as possible so they can adjust their construction time line.

Explain the differences between product quality and function. A solid brass faucet may look the same as a zinc or plastic one, but the durability and function are quite different. Also be sure to mention any warranties that cover the product and what they do and do not cover.

Be aware of the customer's budget, but don't undersell. If a customer wants a specific brand or style, ask a few extra questions to determine what is actually driving that desire. As the experienced professional, you should be able to guide them to a product that best meets their needs, even if it is not exactly what they asked for.

If there is an issue with a product, be proactive with a solution. Most of the time, the customer is not really upset with you or the product but with the whole process. It has been my experience over the years that when a customer has a meltdown it is because there have been a number of issues on the job. If you let them know about the issue and already have a couple of solutions to suggest, it will make the customer appreciate that you really do care about their project and you have a professional approach to their situation.

Managing expectations is a part of every sales person's job. If you are successful at expectation management, your customers will almost certainly talk about your professionalism. If you don't do a great job managing expectations though, they may still rave about their products, but not about the person who sold them those products.

A Showroom's Competitive Advantage

50 percent of customers are interested in purchasing custom products and 48% of those customers are willing to wait for a product that they can call "all their own", found a 2016 Deloitte consumer survey.  Those findings certainly spell good news for DPHA member showrooms.  The ability to produce unique products whether they are split finishes, unique combinations of handles and spouts on faucets, custom system showers or individualized pieces of cabinet and door hardware provide showrooms with competitive advantages that can't be replicated by online etailers or order takers down the street.

 

The customization of decorative plumbing and hardware products enables showrooms to deliver compelling customer experiences and are in keeping with retail trends in other industries, especially fashion.  This week, Frilly started providing women with customizable, made-to-order clothing in bohemian, preppy, minimalist and edgy styles.  The technology platform enables customers to select fabric, sleeve and bodice options.  The company expects to introduce a made-to-measure service within a year.

 

Nike started customizing sneakers in 2012 with the launch of NikeID.  Adidas was not far behind with the opening of its Speedfactory, a robotic facility that allows customers to participate in the creation process.  Nor is Amazon going to be left behind in the ability to provide customization opportunities.  Last April, Amazon was awarded a patent for an on-demand apparel manufacturing process that will enable customers to receive custom dresses, shirts and other apparel in five days.

 

Men's clothier Indochino plans to open 150 new showrooms in the next three years, primarily in high-end malls, to offer custom-made suits that are delivered within three weeks.  Its go-to-market strategy is that its custom suits offer a better product choice at that same price as an off-the-rack offering.

 

Indochino is not alone.  Ministry of Supply uses 3D robotic knitting machines to produce custom blazers within an hour and half.  Even though the Deloitte study found that most customers said they have the patience to wait for a one-of-a-kind product, patience is not expected to last for a long time, especially when Amazon starts in the customization arena. 

 

As 3D printing becomes more cost-effective and used, customization of all products, including decorative plumbing and hardware, is expected to skyrocket.  What can you do to take advantage today and in the future of your ability to deliver custom products to your customers?  Brainstorm with your team to identify the manufacturers you currently specify to identify opportunities and develop a consumer education and marketing effort to promote your customization capabilities.  

The Power of Being Nice

Two professors from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business found that speaking positively of fellow team members gives more meaning to one's work and provides a greater sense of purpose.  They also claim that there are numerous opportunities to highlight your team's contributions and talent that often are not taken advantage of. 

 

When you bring on a new team member, you can make him or her feel like a million bucks by highlighting what makes the new hire interesting and telling other members of your staff the talents they bring to the organization.  One company asks candidates during the interview process what their favorite foods are, what their hometown is, what are their likes and dislikes and an inspirational quote that they like.  Then on the first day of work, the company hangs a picture of the new hire in its gallery of other team members, relating the information gleaned from the interview process.  This helps jump start a new hire's transition into the organization's social fabric, the professors write.

 

Sharing information is critical to a showroom's success.  To help team members open up, relate stories of each person's strengths and contributions they bring to the showroom.  If you are putting together a team to go after a large project, start the initial meeting by explaining why you picked each team member for the project, their unique talents and their background and interests.  This helps foster a sense of purpose and serves as a power motivational tool.

 

If you have team members that are introverted or are put down you can build their confidence and sense of workplace satisfaction by pointing out the value they bring to your operation. 

 

Highlighting experience, strengths and successes of team members when introducing them to new clients is another way to motivate and provide a sense of professional satisfaction.  Share details that you believe make the person interesting and someone that others would want to know and have work on their project. 

 

How you introduce and respond to your team members can create more meaning in their work and highlight reasons that demonstrate they are involved in a dynamic profession that helps customers make their dreams realities while improving the quality of their lives.

Stress Relief

It's difficult to work with others who don't appear to be in control and are always frazzled, but there are ways that you can positively interact with the most stressed out members of your team.

Some people may appear stressed out because they never take a break from the showroom. They are always connected. It's difficult for them to go home and leave work behind. Empathize with your stressed team member and compliment them. Praising the quality of their work improves their self-image. For example, you may tell your team member that they did an outstanding job on the project you just pitched and let them know they came across as calm and collected.

Another way to assist them is to offer to help, which sends the message that they are truly not alone. However, put limits on what you offer so your fellow team member knows it is not a carte blanche invitation to be used at any time.

Finally, assist stressed out coworkers by helping them break up their workload into more manageable tasks.  Breaking a task down into several steps makes the end goal seem more achievable to everyone.

Making Great First and Memorable Impressions

It's only natural for first-time visitors in your showroom to be a little reserved.  It's the showroom's responsibility and mission to make visitors feel comfortable, to earn their trust and engage in a meaningful conversation that leaves visitors wanting to come back. 

 

Start earning that trust by making visitors feel good about themselves. Your goal is to elevate the confidence, pride and esteem of everyone who enters your showroom.  The conversation should not be about the showroom, how great a designer you might be or how satisfied your customers are.  Your first impression conversation should be all about your customer.  Be interested in what they want, what their goals are, what makes them the happiest and what brings them their greatest joy.  As Dale Carnegie said, any person's favorite topic is themselves.  Let your visitors be themselves and talk about whatever they would like to say.  What can you do to make your visitors feel like they are the most important person in your space?

 

If you have common interests with your visitors, don't knowingly or unwittingly show them up.  For example, if your visitor says I really enjoy wine and have started a small collection, don't let the person know that you have been collecting for years and have amassed a collection of hundreds of bottles. Instead, ask what is their favorite wine and inquire if they would they be interested in coming back to the showroom for a wine tasting with local experts?

 

Don't forget to make eye contact.  There's nothing that says you are unimportant than looking around to see whom else might be in the showroom.  When you look directly into the eyes of a first-time visitor, you are conveying the message that he or she is at the center of your universe. 

 

Susan Scott, author of Fierce Conversations, claims, "While no single conversation is guaranteed to transform a company, a relationship, a life, any single conversation can.  Speak and listen as if this is the most important conversation you will ever have with this person. It could be. Participate as if it matters. It does."

Can You Teach Old Dogs New Tricks?

Our world is changing so rapidly that you may not believe you have the capacity to keep pace.  Wouldn't we all be more productive if we could assess applications that are best suited for our businesses and careers more quickly?  Everyone knows someone who is technologically illiterate, but does that mean they can't learn or it's too complicated to even try? 

The age old question "can you teach an old dog new tricks" comes to mind, and if you asked Dr. Barbara Oakley that question her response would be a resounding "yes".  Dr. Oakley teaches Leaning How to Learn, an online course that has been taken by nearly 2 million people worldwide to help them tackle difficult subjects and stop procrastinating. 

In a recent article in the New York Times, Dr. Oakley offered four tips to improve your learning capabilities.

1. Dr. Oakley says people think in two different ways.  One is where you concentrate on the material you want to learn and the second is diffuse.  Diffuse is the process the brain uses to absorb the information you focus on.  Diffuse is the place where connections between information and unexpected insights occur.
2. To help yourself focus and diffuse information, Dr. Oakley suggests setting a timer for 25 minutes of focused work.  When the timer goes off, take a break.  Give yourself a reward such as listening to music, taking a walk or grabbing a latte.  The goal is to think about something else, which enables your brain to process the information from the task you just focused on.  Setting a timer also helps avoid procrastinating.  Thinking about doing something you dislike activates the pain center in the brain, Dr. Oakley said.  Setting a timer "helps the mind slip into focus and work without thinking about the work."
3. Practice:  When you repeat a task or practice that you are trying to learn, you acquire a procedural fluency, Dr. Oakley states.  She compares the process to learning how to back up a car.  When you first try, it's difficult, but after you have backed up a car several dozen times, it almost becomes second nature and your brain thinks about other things when you do it.  The more you practice the easier it is to lean more complex information.
4. Be intellectually honest.  No one knows you better than yourself and the best way you learn new things.  Some people grasp new concepts right awa, while others take the tortoise route.  Those who take more time are likely to notice more details.  Dr. Oakley says that knowing the difference between tortoise and hare learning styles is a first step in learning how to approach unfamiliar material.