Last week Paul launched our new blog series “3 Things” by talking about his obsession with finding solutions and how this relentless focus on solving problems, for our customers and ourselves, has become part of Method’s DNA. 
 
When I joined Team Method last month I was struck by how much Method’s value system reminded me of the first place I had the incredible fortune of working: CHUM Radio.  And this led to today’s blog post:
 
Valuing Your Team.
 
Here are 3 Things I learned in radio on how to value your team:
 
1. The little things make a big difference.

First a quick story… when I met Mr. and Mrs. Waters for the first time (the owners) I was nervous, a little sweaty and mumbled my name. Yet even with 100+ employees, from then on both Mr. and Mrs. Waters always remembered my name.  They didn’t say “Jamal” or “Jemil”.  They called me “Jamil”, and that’s not an easy one to remember.
 
They were the owners.  I was the Intern.  And this simple courtesy set the tone for my entire 7 year run.
 
It’s easy to remember a name, set reminders for birthdays, get treats for the team on Friday afternoons (something I love about Friday’s at Method). Doing these little things builds goodwill.  And most importantly, your people feel valued.  Take it from the Intern -- me.
 
2. Organize your team in a circle; not a ladder.

Picture this: your team is standing in a circle, and your goal is in the middle.  Doesn’t that sound more collaborative and focused than standing on different rungs of a ladder?
 
Here’s what happened at CHUM: by using the circle instead of a ladder, the whole team understood the company’s goals, and their role in achieving them.  Most importantly, we understood why we were doing what we were doing – not just what someone else told us to do.   That made the company efficient because all staff, from junior to senior, were empowered to work independently.
 
3. Our people are our most valuable asset.

The Waters family would regularly say, “our most valuable asset is not the transmitter, building, or broadcast license.  It’s our people… the talented folks who create amazing radio and client partnerships every day.  They went so far as to call us “CHUM People”.  What effect did this have?  It made us feel privileged to work there.  And it made CHUM a highly coveted place to work. I still feel proud to say I was a CHUM person.
 
Maybe it sounds like I drank the Kool-Aid -- what I do know for certain is I felt privileged to be part of something unique. A big salary doesn’t buy that kind of loyalty.
 
What do you think? What can you do to make your team feel privileged to be a part of your company?  Any similar experiences? Please leave a comment or question, or hit us up on Twitter @MethodCRM.  Every week we’ll have a new post featuring 3 Things you can do now to elevate your business.

Till next time.

Jamil