Destination Unstoppable For Small Businesses
Business Growth Boot Camp: Destination Unstoppable - The Journey of No Teammate Left Behind speaker Maureen Electa Monte talks about success from her Destination Unstoppable® program.
My two favorite client groups are small businesses and sports teams because they share so many characteristics! They are hungry. They are nimble. They are energized. They care about finding the right people and placing them in a role to succeed. Leaders and employees are eager to help the team achieve goals. My Destination Unstoppable® program and the needs of small businesses and sports teams overlap nicely, so you can imagine my excitement when I had the chance to combine the two!
Maximizing Team Talent
A co-owner of a services-based business had a son on the Cranbrook Hockey team that I was working with. We met to discuss my program and how it improves team chemistry. Even though this business was already extraordinarily successful, like an elite sports organization, they wanted to perform to their full potential. This company had experienced rapid growth and had added locations. People were beginning to feel a bit disconnected from one another. We agreed to tackle that common business problem by deepening the sense of connection between partners, the leadership team, and branch site managers. There were 11 people in the initial work group.
We began by measuring the strengths of the team. This important step helps us indentify and harness talent on the team, and there is always untapped and misunderstood talent on a team. I use the Clifton StrengthsFinder® so that we gain insight into how people think (and we can’t see how you think – this is an important value proposition for clients in fields where mental horsepower drives a competitive edge), execute tasks, relate and influence others. I conducted individual coaching sessions with each participant so that they could build a performance strategy founded in self-awareness, and review what success looked as individuals and as a team.
Aligning Talent and Success
Shortly thereafter, we had a full day retreat to reveal the strengths of the team as a group and to strengthen the bonds of teamwork. The day was full of laughter and “aha’s!” as the partners and employees saw the strengths of their colleagues. The partner with his foot on the gas (a strength called Activator) was face to face with the partner who provides a brake (a strength called Deliberative). Often at odds in meetings, they now understood why. Let’s face it – when we buy a car, we want both a gas pedal and a brake. Both are valuable when used appropriately! Similar examples associated with differences in thinking, relating, executing, and influencing were revealed.
As we explored the answer to the question, “What does success look like for this team?” the conversation was lively and constructive. All voices were heard. Each person spoke about alignment between their natural strengths and success for the team, and new ways to contribute were revealed.
The feedback forms were insightful with 100% of the team agreeing that the coaching and workshop were valuable and would make the team more successful. Comments included:
• Now I know why I can’t leave tasks halfway done.
• Now I understand why I get so frustrated with the pace of change (or lack thereof!) in this company.
• This really helped me to understand the things that motivate my teammates and why they excel in their respective roles.
• I know who I can go to for help.
• Loved this workshop! I knew I worked with an amazing team but today proved that (the company) wants the best for us and my team.
Today, this business continues to grow and we’re moving on to a similar project with all 45 employees.
Is Your Company Unstoppable?
When you join us for our Destination Unstoppable Boot Camp, you and your teams will:
a) Learn your strengths. The registration fee includes a code for the Clifton StrengthsFinder. When you take it, it will return your top 5 patterns of excellence and provide a customized report.
b) Learn what your results mean and how you can align your strengths with success.
c) Discover team talent that was undervalued, misunderstood or underutilized.
d) Learn next steps to maintain momentum.
I want to make one more important point.
Destination Unstoppable is not a place; it is a shared mindset. It is a heightened energy derived from a unified group that deeply understands and believes in how good they are. It’s a team firing on all cylinders.
Let’s work together to get your team on the path to Destination Unstoppable and stay there!
The Business Growth Boot Camp: Destination Unstoppable - The Journey of No Teammate Left Behind will be held on Thursday, June 22nd. Click here if you'd like to register for the event.
Gallup®, StrengthsFinder®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, and each of the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder theme names are trademarks of Gallup, Inc. Destination Unstoppable® is a trademark of Maureen Monte Consulting, llc. All rights reserved.