Beth Walsh Erickson Speaks on The Characteristics of a Winning Team

[Editor's Note] The following article is comprised of the notes written on Beth's notecards that she created for her talk today. The grammar and punctuation may not be perfect.

The Characteristics of a Winning Team

Leadership, Communication, Decision Making, Trust, Collaboration Conflict Resolution

Christian Businesspeople-in the world, but not of it. Our leader modeled team-building mechanics that proved successful. 12 unknowns 2000 years ago - now Jesus Christ has a team of 2.56 billion, or 31.2% of the world pop if PBS & Wikipedia 2022 stats are legit.

How did Jesus describe the characteristics of a winning team? He made it much simpler than Google. In Chapter 7 of Matthew's Gospel, Jesus said a good "team" will produce good "fruit." Okay, He was talking about trees, but the premise is sound. Today, we’re going to talk about what it takes to bear good fruit by a business team.

Retired from the Ocean Grill, I took a job with CSC. I've always worked at "bettering" a restaurant, had never opened one from scratch. As an insider at CSC, I witnessed a family that plants, grows, picks, packs, markets, ships, and sells fruit... GOOD FRUIT. A seasonal harvest, the work of producing GOOD FRUIT is managed one day at a time. and it takes a huge team dedicated to their individual roles to make it happen. No matter what business you represent, the people tending your trees will decide the quality of your company's fruit.

Let's get started. I think GOOGLE had the first two citations right. Leadership & Communication
Developing a culture of teamwork starts at the top. If the owner or manager isn't invested, the team won't be either. 34 years at the Ocean Grill. The owner, Charlie, was cutting fish 6 days a week. We all saw it. And it made us willing to get our hands dirty to ensure quality, too.

But there was another dividend this created. The owner was approachable. When we needed to talk to him, we knew where and when to find him. His dirty hands set us up for Success in communicating the triumphs, losses, needs & hopes of biz..

Good fruit comes from good communication from the top to the bottom. As a leader, do you model the work ethic you want your team to emulate? Jesus did. By watching Him interact with others, this team learned that loving God first and loving our neighbor as ourselves looks a lot like service. He was consistent you’re your leader?

Many years of biz exp in this room. Let's face it, we've all seen inconsistent leadership. It trickles down, inconsistency. You'll still have some successes, but it won't be what your company is known for. Some customers will stick with you, but usually b/c a certain team member, a specific product, or a promised price point. This loyalty fades with competition.

When a business's fruit is inconsistent, it's usually a sign of poor leadership.

I mentioned Charlie earlier cutting fish. Though he's the best restaurant person I've ever known, he was not the best communicator, so he cut fish. He hired people like me to communicate with staff and customers. Still, I knew his strengths and weaknesses, because I was on his team. I didn't expect power points and training manuals. Creating those was my job. But Charlie still communicated effectively with me and our management team. And he expected us to do the same with those we oversaw. He gave us the shared goal, and we communicated it throughout the staff.

Good leaders demand consistency in communication, even if they have to be assisted in making it happen.

How did Mark get a Gospel? He isn't one of the original 12? Ah, but John Mark could write Greek and Simon Peter could not. So, the gospel of Mark we all look to for direction, came from the perspective of Peter. Mark wrote it down. Mark was on the team using the talents the other did not possess. Get it?

I'm going to use the word TEAM as an acronym now. Though Google said the T should stand for Trust, but we're going with Training. Training is part of effective communication. It allows you to assess a new hire and discern their natural, God-given talents. Proverbs 11:14 says: For lack of guidance, a nation falls. Throwing someone into the mix doesn't always work. There will be those who can survive it, but that's the exception, not the rule.

Training allows the individual to reach their potential. Make sure the trainer has the gift of effective communication. Define the role to be filled well. Go over EVERY part of that well-defined role- knowing that what comes easily to one may not come easily to another. When Christ walked the earth, He spent time with them teaching, modeling, training. them long before He sent them out two by two ahead of Him. How do we model in our modern culture? One-on-one, manuals, videos - and testing. People focus when they know there will be review & testing.

Once trained, let's move to the E. Empower your crew. A team without any authority will be committed to the quality of the fruit. Pay attention to the leaders you've appointed, and to those who rise up on their own. Again, some have the natural talent to lead. It won't always be who you thought it would be.

Don't keep all the tasks on your plate! Delegate to the leaders! I love it when an employee acquires "ownership mentality" These are the ones who share the goal of the establishment and are committed to seeing it achieved. ie burnt crab au gratin was not served. Photo at the Grand Canyon of guests with an Ocean Grill shirt; overhearing in the bathroom that there was a problem with a drink. Once empowered, make sure you back them up!

Our A in team stands for Affirm. I may be telling my age. Stuart Smalley, SNL. Self-help new to Society. "You're good enough...".

People need to hear about it when they're doing a good job. Did you know that the Old Testament uses the word bless over 600x and the word curse only 72x? So, for every conflict you need to point out to a team member, you could emulate OT Scripture by praising them 8x. Crazy?

The world has changed since the reign of the Baby Boomers... of which I am one. More people are from single parent homes. Oddly enough, this "fending for self" structure makes people hungry for approval and affirmation. If you want a strong team, celebrate their wins more than you punish their losses. Don't get me wrong, discipline is part of this step. I still believe in the 3-step process of verbal, written, and final warning. But TRAINING might be at fault if this is a common occurrence at ・your biz. Discipline in private. Reward with witnesses. Did the whole team score? Do something wonderful, Take them out to OG for lunch. Too pricey? Order tacos and chips from El Sid for lunch! You get my drift.

The M in team is Management. Remember, the harvest season for citrus is Nov-May, but the trees must be cared for daily. This is where consistency pays off best.

Rules? Enforce them consistently, for everyone
Goals? Speak of the consistently, to everyone.
Issues? Inform of problems consistently, to anyone who might encounter them.

Be available, on a regular basis. Managing a team means you're the one going home with the strategic headaches when there’s trouble-COVID, delivery issues, labor shortages, etc. Don't let
the urgent rob your team of the important-
YOUR PRESENCE AND ATTENTION.

A culture is a way of life. It's defined by shared beliefs and behaviors.

A culture of teamwork is a way of life for a business. The constituents share common goals and are committed to the work that will facilitate achieving those goals. This culture personifies Galatians 6:2 as we strive to carry one another's burdens.

TEAM: Training Empowering Affirming & Managing

You've heard my examples of how these principles have worked in my professional life. Now, I'd like to hear from some of you how this acronym has worked in your company.

Any stories to share or tips?

TEAM-BUILDING IN THE WORKPLACE

Characteristics of a Winning Team

Developing a Culture of Teamwork
- It all starts with YOU
o Willingness
o Attitude/Tone
o Dedication
- Shared goals – consistency in product and service
- Well-defined roles
o Make them tangible
o Train them well
o Assess natural skill sets
o Assigned leaders
o Unassigned leaders
- Effective, ongoing communication
- Reward via celebration
- Timely discipline done in private
- Encourage “ownership” mentality

Beth Walsh Stewart, MTh, is a gifted teacher and author who has helped thousands of people find their authentic selves and connect with God. Through BethWe.com, Beth teaches on various topics — with podcasts, online teaching, books, magazine articles, retreats, and live workshops — always with the focus of helping the struggling to connect to God, to their fellows, and to their true selves.
Retired from the hospitality industry in Vero Beach, Beth managed a successful team of 140 people at the Ocean Grill Restaurant for 34 years, and then put her skills to the test building a new team for El Sid Taqueria. Opening this new restaurant concept during the limitations of labor and product shortages from the Covid outbreak, Beth learned new lessons in team development and support. She delights in sharing those lessons with others who may benefit.