By Tim Viere, CEO & Cofounder
When building a great team, there isn’t a tried and true manual. If there was, I wouldn’t be writing this. With over 40 years in the banking industry, I’ve learned a thing or two, but more importantly, I continue to learn. While there are many variables that come into play when building a team, I’ve found three key factors that create a great team that can continue to grow.
Key No. 1: Establishing Core Values
With any type of structure, a strong base is essential. Establishing core values is a vital element in building that strong base. What is your company’s identity? How should employees behave and interact with each other and clients? How does your company approach different operations on a day-to-day basis? Essentially, what is the company all about? If core values aren’t established, it’s hard to know what you’re reallylooking for in the hiring process.
At EntreBank, we take great pride in our core values. As shown on a sign in our main board room, we:
- Maintain a positive, can-do attitude
- Are proactive & responsive
- Help each other succeed
- Have a sense of urgency
- Listen before talking
- Do the right thing
- Have fun!
Core values don’t have to be complicated or wordy. In fact, many of them simply come down to being a good person. However, they need to be established, and they need to be lived each and every day by all employees.
Key No. 2: Prioritizing a Team Environment
Banking is about getting the fundamentals right – it’s not about reinventing the wheel. So, what differentiates banks if we’re all pretty much doing the same thing? That’s where great teams separate themselves from good teams.
Obviously, a certain degree of technical skill is needed. After that, each team needs different players with different skill sets. If you look at the most successful sports teams, they’re never built of clones of each other. Look at the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty in the 1990s – Dennis Rodman wasn’t the same player as Michael Jordan. EntreBank celebrates these different skill sets because they’re all crucial to our team winning. Employee “A” might be generating a ton of business, but they’re not doing that and reaching their full potential without the work of employee “B” through “G,” and they know that (and appreciate it). We truly value the wide variety of backgrounds our employees come from as it shapes who they are and brings different ways of thinking to our team.
Key No. 3: Fostering Open Communication
Open communication is key to just about everything in life. When you look at what goes into building a great team, it’s even more crucial, and it’s something you have to continuously keep a close eye on. Disagreements are going to happen, but if you see that something is lingering, it’s critical that it’s addressed so the company can resolve it and continue. At the end of the day, you want to have an environment where people can have disagreements and still be really good teammates. We strive to do that.
Executing great internal communication directly translates to giving our customers our best. We have employees who have really strong technical skill sets; we also have employees who have exceptional human-relation skill sets (and everything in between). By encouraging transparent dialogue, we’re all able to lean on each other and give open and honest feedback. It’s a great thing to have different points of view and be able to discuss different options because it makes everyone think in ways they haven’t before, and that allows us to best serve our customers and their unique needs.
Executing the Game Plan
There is no manual for building the perfect team. Even in banking, where it’s about executing fundamentals, each bank has different customers with different needs. However, establishing core values, prioritizing a true team environment and fostering open communication are undefeated when it comes to developing and sustaining a winning team.
Even if you’re in a position of leadership and feel you’ve built the greatest team, remember it’s equally as important to be a great teammate.
