High performance teams are committed to a collective vision
This point is critical to an effective high performance team. In fact, without this collective vision, synergy cannot exist. High performance teams are committed to a common purpose. They share similar values. They believe in the same things. If your company mission statement and corporate values are not demonstrated in a daily way - you will have difficulty fostering this collective vision. Successful companies whose teams are highly developed make mission and core values central to everything they do.
High performance challenge - do you have a stated mission and set of core values? If not, that's a vital component to success and you should make it a priority to create them. If you do, are they posted clearly where staff see them every day? Do you talk about them as part of your ongoing daily routine?

High performance teams thrive on competition
Not competition with each other - but with those outside the organization. High performanceteams want their company to be the best - better than any other competitor, and this sense of competition bonds them together in working toward making it so. It means they'll help each otherout in order to achieve those goals. They want to look good collectively and this helps them set aside personal biases and encourages them to help each other succeed. They want to be able to say "We're #1!"
High performance challenge - do you know where you are in terms of your competition and market share? Does your staff have a clear idea of how you're different from your competition? Do you have clarity about what it means to achieve success in comparison to your competition? Does your team know what it will take to get there?

High performance teams are goal-oriented
They know where they are, where they want to go, and how they're going to get there. They haveindividual goals, but they also have collective goals. They talk about how they can support each other individually, and work together to come up with strategies to achieve their corporate goals.
High performance challenge - do you encourage and facilitate personal goal-setting among your staff ? Do you plan corporate goal-setting sessions where your team can identify goals? Do you post those goals someplace where they are visible to your staff every day? Does your team know and understand your goals for your business?

High performance teams are inclusive and self-motivated
They rely heavily on the differences represented on the team - rather than letting those differences tear them apart. They value different backgrounds, styles and opinions and welcome ideas from everyone. They also are highly motivated and don't need to be told what to do. If there is a weakness, it's that they sometimes need to be reigned in as their enthusiasm propels them forward too quickly.
High performance challenge - do you model inclusivity and encourage diversity in your workplace? Do you value ideas from everyone? Do you rely on different perspectives when planning or implementing programs? Do you provide freedom with strong leadership to your team?

High performance teams are supportive of each other
They recognize that each individual's success contributes to collective success. They are willing to be unselfish in order to help out a team member. They naturally mentor each other and demonstrate a strong commitment to one another. They celebrate in each other's successes without jealousy, and take on each other's struggles as their own.
High performance challenge - do you demonstrate a willingness to help others on the team? Do you acknowledge and affirm unselfish acts among your staff? Do you reward team players? Do you encourage your staff to let others know when they need help?

High performance teams take risks
They are confident, forward-thinking, and believe they can achieve what they set out to do. That doesn't mean everyone on the team individually is a risk-taker, but it does mean that when the group is collectively working towards a goal, they are collectively willing to take risks in order to achieve that goal.
High performance challenge - Do you allow people to take risks, without punishing them if things don't turn out well? Do you encourage others on your team to look at risk as a positive thing - as long as it's calculated and well thought-out?

How does your team measure up in each of these areas? Remember, a high performance team doesn't spring up over night, and as a business owner, it's your job to do what you can to work towards establishing a high performance team. At least it is if you want to be successful!

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You'd be amazed how successful this can be. One of the best things you can give away for free is your expertise. Customers come to a mechanic shop because they don't have the expertise to fix their car on their own. They take their good clothes to a dry cleaner because they don't know how (or don't have time) to do it themselves. They hire a caterer because they can't cook gourmet meals for their guests. They hire a landscaper because they don't know the first thing about turning their mess of a yard into a garden.

You may not realize it, but you have a wealth of knowledge that you could share with your customers. If you provide them with free information that makes their lives easier, better, more convenient, or less expensive, your credibility goes through the roof, and who do you think they'll buy from when they need that expertise? If you did this once a month - all you'd have to do is come up with 12 ways to enhance the lives of your customers. Think about all the things you know, and how you can share that information with them. Write a brief (no more than 2 pages) article. "How To's" are very popular, as are "Five Ways to . . ." ; "10 Tips for . . ."

Print your article and purchase a clear plastic magazine stand to set in your reception area, with a sign on it saying "FREE - Take One". Few people can resist that! And if you give them something that will provide value, save money, or show them how to do something better - they'll see you as the expert. Lost for ideas? Here are just a few:

* A car dealership - 5 Things You MUST Know Before Buying a Used Car
* A coffee shop - What's in the Grind? Knowing Which Blend is Right for You
* An auto mechanic - 5 Tune-Up Things You Can Do Yourself
* A dentist - How to Boost Your Brushing for More Effective Cavity Control
* A lawyer - 7 Things to Consider Before Writing Your Will
* A movie rental store - This Month in Review
* A computer shop - 10 Ways to Maintain Your Computer at Home
* A dry cleaner - How to Make Your Dry Cleaning Last Longer
* A scrapbook consultant - Creative Ways to Feature Events
* A hairdresser - 6 Ways to Minimize Sun Damage to Your Hair This Summer
* A furniture store - How to Feature Your Furniture
* A photography shop - 5 Tips on Taking Better Outdoor Photos
* A garden shop or landscape company - Taking Care of Perennials - 4 Things You Should Know
* A thrift store - Tips on Finding the REAL Second Hand Deals
* A restaurant - Restaurant Zed's Recipe of the Month
* A window covering store - How to Keep Your Drapes Dust-Free
* A Bed and Breakfast - The 10 Things You Must See While in Town

The potential ideas are endless. Just think about what you know, that your customer may not. Then write it down, and share it with them. Are you feeling stymied because you're not a writer? Don't worry - you can hire a copywriter for a reasonable rate to write about what you know. As long as the information's there, it doesn't take much for a freelance writer to synthesize it. And, it will be money well spent.

You'll find your customers coming in every month just to get the newest article. They'll tell you how your tips or ideas saved them money, time, or impacted their life in a positive way. The more times they come back, the more likely they are to buy from you, and to tell their friends about you. Become known as an expert in your field by providing free tips to your customers, and you'll beat the competition hands down.

One final idea - keep your back issues in a binder or folder as you finish each month. You'll probably find people coming back and asking for a particular article they missed, or that they want to share with a friend. And it's a great thing to have in your waiting area for people to flip through while they wait.

Try it - what have you got to lose? The time it takes you to throw a few ideas onto a piece of paper will be well spent in terms of how much your customers will appreciate the free advice. And you'll appreciate the free advertising it provides for your business as people are buzzing about your articles!

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What made the difference? We realized that what was holding her back after 3 failed attempts - was fear. She was so fearful that she'd experience another failure, that she was paralyzed from trying again. She wanted that license so badly - and was suffering a severe lack of independence because of not having that freedom, yet every time it came to arranging for another test, she'd stall or make excuses. It almost seemed as if the more desperate and frustrated she got about not having her license, the more fearful she became about trying again. So we talked to her about fear. We told her that until the thing that she desired (getting her license) became greater than her fear (of failure), she would not succeed. It made her realize that until that moment, her fear had been greater than her desire. When she was faced with that fact - her desire suddenly rose a few notches - just enough so that it tipped the scale in favour of defeating the fear. That doesn't mean she still wasn't nervous or anxious when she went in for that fourth test, but somehow there was a steely resolve that she was not going to let the fear defeat her. If she failed - she failed, but it would not be because of the fear. There was quite a celebration when she called me from the testing site and told me that this time, she had been successful.

So what does this little anecdote have to do with you as a small business owner? Plenty! I'll bet if you were honest, there are a lot of things in your business that you avoid because of the fear of failure. Along with that comes the fear of financial ruin, and a fear that results in a lack of confidence that you can do it. Fear of failure manifests itself in the following ways.

1. Putting Things Off - Chelsea continually put off scheduling another test because she was afraid to try again. What comes across your desk that you consistently push away to deal with "another day"?
2. Paralysis - when fear takes hold, paralysis sets in. You not only put things off - you actually can't imagine even taking that step. It sends you into panic and anxiety. What stresses you out? The thought of launching that new product, hiring an extra staff person, calling that big client? If there are things that send you into a panic - look at whether fear is holding you back.
3. Irrational Reasoning - fear of failure causes you to think things like "I'll never . . .", "I can't . . ." , "I always do . . .", "There's no way I'll . . .". You see things as grimmer than they are, and you suffer from a lack of confidence to move forward. The irrational things you think feel very real, and you convince yourself that theyare true. Chelsea actually talked herself into believing she was incapable of passing the test. Completely untrue, but very real to her. To what things are you routinely saying "no - it's not possible, can't be done, etc?" It may be worth taking a look to see if that no is based in reality or fear.

What do you do when you realize fear has gripped you? How do you get to the point where the "desire" grows greater than the fear? Here are a few steps you can take to tip those scales the way Chelsea did.

1. Admit it - there's power in admitting your fear. In fact, when Chelsea realized how powerful her fear was, she immediately found an inner strength to move beyond it. Okay, so you're the boss and the successful entrepreneur - it doesn't make you any less successful or powerful to admit that you've got fear. In fact, healthy fear contributes to success. The sooner you admit it, the sooner you can get on to strategies to defeat it.
2. Check it Out - look at those irrational thoughts and do some fact-finding. Is your fear reasonable based on the FACTS? Are there adjustments you can make to your plan that minimize the risk so you can reasonably project success? What the worst thing that could happen? Could you survive that if it did? What is the best possible outcome? Is the risk worth that potential outcome? Honestly answering these questions will help you to move from paralysis to cautious confidence.
3. Remove its Power - take the things you've discovered and use them to move forward. Use the facts to make wise decisions, use the fear to steer you clear of danger, and get on with it. When you identify and evaluate your fear, you remove its power and its hold over you. Look toward the great results you anticipate and focus on those, rather than the unlikely possibility of failure.

Everyone knows that risk is an element of running a business, but each of us has fears that stem from a variety of places in our past experiences. Chelsea learned an important lesson about fear that she isn't soon going to forget. What will you do to grow your desire for success, and diminish your fear of failure?

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