The “Best” Best Practice for Teamwork:
Personality Profiling
by Dr. John P. Hayes, CFE
Teamwork is back! It was never really gone, but when all the team members individually moved home to work alone starting in early 2020, many adjustments were necessary. Suddenly, people realized the importance of teams and how much businesses rely on them to get things done. Imagine being a team leader but now home alone and without team members to manage. Or, a team leader who’s still working from the office, but without team members within shouting distance. Along with illness, death, worry, closures and chaos at all levels, Covid-19 also created the necessity for learning how to cope as a team while working remotely. Fortunately, with technology, most team members scrambled initially
24 The Franchise Woman
(many, for example, needed to strengthen their internet signals at home), but almost overnight people were spouting “best practices” for working as a team from home. Establish a Routine led the list. Just because people were at home didn’t mean the team wouldn’t meet daily at 8 a.m. with everyone present (video required) via Zoom. However, the regimented expectations also had to consider that some team members had kids at home themselves needing to get on Zoom first thing in the morning for math or science class. Flexibility became another best practice. For months everyone mentioned how “amazing” it was that we adapted so quickly, and in spite of “the new normal,” businesses not only functioned, but flourished. Many businesses not only didn’t
miss a beat, they increased sales and profitability. Almost a year later, countless businesses were, in fact, giving up “the office” and keeping everyone working from home or shared office space. It’s all well and good unless you missed the “soft skills” portion of best practices for teams working remotely. And it’s a good bet most businesses overlooked that portion because they did even when teams worked shoulder-to-shoulder at the office. Teamwork is more effective when team members understand each other’s personality. We’re not all cut from the same cloth. We may be smart, educated, motivated and eager to perform and to get promoted, etc., but as individuals we’re each wired differently. Untangling and reconnecting the wires is a
