In this compelling episode, Pete Mohr addresses a critical yet often overlooked aspect of business growth: the challenging but necessary process of realigning your team. With his extensive experience and insightful perspective, Pete delves into the sensitive topic of parting ways with key team members who no longer fit the evolving needs of your business. This episode is not just about making tough decisions; it's a deep dive into understanding the importance of alignment in your team as your business grows and adapts.
Here are a few things Pete covers:
Recognizing Misalignment: Understanding when a key team member no longer aligns with the business's direction and the need for change.
The Importance of Honest Communication: Emphasizing the use of respectful conversations and "I" statements to address diverging paths between the company and team members.
Offering Support During Transition: Highlighting the significance of providing support, like references or networking opportunities, to the departing member.
Smooth Transition Planning: The necessity of planning a transition period for both the individual and the team, ensuring minimal disruption.
Team Realignment: Addressing the remaining team with honesty and positivity, focusing on the future and building trust.
Emotional Complexity of Decision-Making: Acknowledging the mix of emotions involved in letting go of team members and the relief in restoring alignment.
Leadership in Challenging Times: Emphasizing the role of a leader in navigating complex situations with grace and focusing on growth and maturity.
Building a Legacy: Reinforcing the concept that every challenge faced with courage is an opportunity for growth and legacy building.
It's time to take action: Embrace change and realign your teams for future success. Leadership is not just about running a business; it's about building a lasting legacy. Listeners are encouraged to download the Candidate Evaluation Form at https://simplifyingentrepreneurship.com/candidate/ for further insights into team alignment.
Are you looking to make some changes in your business and your life in 2024? Head over to speaktopete.com and book a chat with me to see if we're the right fit!
To Book a no charge Freedom Call with Pete, to see if you’re a good fit for his business coaching head over to http://speaktopete.com to find a time that works for you!
I was on a group call earlier this morning and one of the people on the call mentioned that it was probably time that he let his General Manager Go. And it's like, wow, that is a big one. And today, we're gonna dive deep into a sensitive yet inevitable part of business growth. And it's letting go of key team members who no longer fit, right. Haven't been through this myself a couple of times, well, many times really, in my 30 years, as a business owner, I know that there's light at the end of the tunnel. But when you're at the beginning, the front end of that tunnel, it can cause a lot of sleepless nights procrastination around this decision stagnation of your business. It can cause stress in your team, not only for the person involved, but for everyone else as well. It's a topic that so many business leaders shy away from, but as leaders, we need to face it head on. It's not just about making the tough decision. It's really about understanding the importance of alignment in our team as our business evolves. So what's the problem we're facing here? It's that mis alignment, right? as our business grows, changes, and adapts. And sometimes what's worked before doesn't work. Now, in fact, that is often the case. It can be in terms of capability, maybe capacity or mindset, or growth trajectories, it doesn't really matter. But the key person who was once the perfect fit, might now be out of sync with where your business is headed in the future. And the fact of the matter is, they probably know it, too, they probably feel it. And maybe they just don't align with your current promise. And if we overlay the five p models that we talked about so often here on the business, how to break through your promise aligning with your product, process, and people so that we have the right amount of profit, there are usually a few things out of alignment here with these people. And in this person's case, the person didn't want to move ahead with some of the needed process advancements, and wasn't aligned with the promise any more of the business, now that it had grown past the state of just sort of owner operation. And this may have already happened to you as a business owner, but if it hasn't, it probably will if you continue to grow. And so what are the steps that we need to take if we have to release a key person in our business has been with us for so long? You know, it's really tough to do because we've made personal attachments and things like this two, step one is just to acknowledge that they're the right fit anymore, really recognize the misalignment and understand that it's really no one's fault. It's about the journey of your business. And we can't stop the business from growing and making the advancements that it needs to make. Step two is around communication and have an honest and respectful conversation. I like to use I statements to express my perspective and then listen to theirs. It really helps keep the conversation focused on perspectives and feelings as opposed to placing blame and saying, Hey, you didn't do this didn't do that, you know, say something like, I've noticed that our company is moving in a new direction. And it seems our paths are diverging a little bit something like that's a little more uneasy and talks about feelings and what have you. Step three is support. And when you can offer support in the transition, Viet references or networking opportunities, it really shows that you care about their future, not just their past contribution to help you get where you are today, right. Step four is to transition smoothly. Plan a period that allows for adjustment both for the individual on your team and your team. It gives time for everyone to adjust and ensures that the departure will be as smooth as possible. It's not going to be easy, but things need to change. Right. Step five, realign your team. Address your team with honesty and positivity. Really focus on the future here. This approach really builds trust and shows your team that you handle such situations with integrity and respect, which I think is vitally important as a small business owner. And now how will you feel when this is resolved? Well, there's likely a mixed of emotions around here, and you're gonna feel relief. Certainly, as alignment is restored back in your business, but also a sense of growth and maturity, you'll find that some of the rest of your teammates are really moving up and taking on new responsibilities. you've navigated through this complex situation with grace, putting your business and people first and it's a sign of true leadership. Your company team if it's the right team is going to rally around this. Letting go of a team member is challenged. It's also part of growing a dynamic and successful business. It's about looking forward and making choices that benefit not only your business but everyone involved in as leaders. We must embrace change, even when it's hard. Remember, every challenge faced with courage is an opportunity for growth and you're not just running a business. You're Building a legacy with your business. This is why you got into business and you can't let that dream fail. By having someone who's not in alignment anymore, help you run that business. While ago, it created a tool for hiring and evaluating your team and it's called the candidate evaluation form nice and easy. It's a simple one page sheet that will bring clarity to whether or not an individual is in alignment with your business. And if you'd like a copy of that, all you have to do is go over to simplifying entrepreneurship.com forward slash candidate and you can download your copy there and just plug your people through the particular form and you'll get great clarity as to what you need to do when you need to do it and with whom you need to do it for the rest of your team as well. So thanks for joining me on this journey. keep breaking through, stay motivated and begin to look at your team through a lens of alignment as to whether or not they're the right fit for the future of your business. The future is bright, and your team members need to be as well. Now go and make it a great day
Buzz Burbank:
and ironic media production visit us at our ONICK media.com