How to Build a Winning Team

Contributed by Susan E. Bos, CMA, CPA

A successful team begins with a great leader. To be a great leader, there are some basic, important qualities one must possess: sincerity, integrity, technical ability, a positive attitude, good communication, and trust. The most effective leaders take it a step further by surrounding themselves with individuals who complement each other’s strengths and offset one another’s weaknesses.

Creating effective teams is a challenge in any organization, but a great leader will reap the benefits of this rewarding experience by fostering a positive atmosphere of collaboration and teamwork. Making others feel important and appreciated is a sure way to win the trust and support of employees as you all work toward a common goal. To build a winning team, a leader must keep the following in mind.

Building a Foundation for Success

Leaders are good at what they do, but they have many responsibilities and can’t accomplish it all by themselves. Therefore, all leaders need to be able to identify people’s strengths and cultivate a good team and support system. This can be accomplished by finding good people; people whose skill set is a match for your needs, who have a solid work ethic, are a cultural fit for your organization and who embody your company’s core values. A leader can only be as good as the team he/she leads so finding the right people and placing them in roles they both enjoy and excel at is key to developing a successful team.

For example, roles in accounting and finance departments aren’t limited to technical skills. It takes a team with diverse skills to succeed. Teams need good project managers, writers, and communicators to earn the trust of stakeholders. They should be able to communicate financial information effectively, present both good and bad results and know what actions to take. If your team members fit well, they can shine. If you take an interest in developing someone into a leadership role, you too will advance.

Incorporating New Members

You might not always be able to choose the members of your team and interviews don’t always allow for 20/20 vision, but it is important to take the necessary steps to ensure new hires fit in well with your existing staff. As a leader, you must develop strong emotional intelligence and remain aware of what will and won’t work for your team members as well as the organization as a whole.

Leaders must remain transparent during the hiring process and provide full disclosure surrounding job roles. A great way to give potential new hires a taste of the work environment at your firm is by allowing a current team member to sit in on the interview process. For example, I like to give potential new hires a chance to sit and talk with a member of my staff alone. This gives them the opportunity to speak to someone who has “been there” and allows them to freely ask questions they might be hesitant to ask me.

The success of a team is dependent on one another. It’s been said “if you can’t bet your career on the people that you have working for you then you have the wrong people working for you.” Although brash, this quote makes an important statement. An effective leader needs to be able to rely on their teams work, judgment and ability to complete the job. To be successful, a strong leader equips their team with the tools to develop their skill set and ultimately advance their careers.

Maintaining Team Balance

A great team begins with a solid leader, the first building block in the foundation for success. Respected leaders follow a guiding set of principles in order to lead, inspire and motivate their fellow employees. Additionally, great leaders teach their employees how to adopt these essential behaviors to boost their confidence and propel their careers. As new members are incorporated, it is up to that leader to maintain a healthy team balance – promoting individual success that ultimately translates to overall company success. With the right combination of these factors you are on your way to building a winning team.

Susan E. Bos, CMA, CPA is tax and accounting manager for Washtenaw County, Michigan Government for the elected County Treasurer. An IMA member since 1986, Susan has served in many roles at the association’s national, council and chapter levels – including as a member of IMA’s Board of Directors. At this year’s IMA Annual Conference & Exposition (Orlando, June 4-8), Susan will be moderating and presenting at the IMA Women’s Leadership Forum. She is also a member of the AICPA and the Michigan Association of CPA’s (MACPA).