Finding The Appropriate Team

Writen by Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

You must be able to define the ultimate goals and find the holes before you can look for team members to fill the void. Without this definition of where you want to go and what additional services you want to provide, there is not point in adding Power Team members. Establishing the ground rules first and then seeking "partners" is the best route to take. One of the biggest questions that come to mind is where to look for your team members. I have always found team members through looking at my existing clients, people in organizations and leads groups that I am involved with. I never advertise for a team member, they are always referred to me by someone I know.

Once you find a potential team member, you will need to do a background check with past customers and also their financial status. This does not mean they have to be making lots of money; it simply means that you should check their credit rating. A healthy credit rating means that they are likely to handle their money well and you will not be left hanging by your fingers. I know a consultant that checks credit scores for everyone he does business with and he has turned down contracts on this basis.

When you are adding a member to your power team, you are actually creating a partnership with that person. Each person you interview will not only share some of your views but they will also provide you with differences in opinion. Although I do value the differences, it is important to find out if they will cause a problem for you in the future. All I am really saying is that you should make your choices carefully and do not give away the farm.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. is a speaker, author (over 170 books, articles, and publications), and consultant. She has provided marketing, sales, business development and training expertise for companies such as Peet's Coffee & Tea, Varian Medical Systems, Accenture, Avaya, Cisco Systems to name a few. Dr. Daoust has also done extensive work with small businesses in developing their marketing, training, and operational plans. You may contact Dr. Daoust at BizMechanix.com. You may also view her latest publications at BlueprintBooks.com Dr. Daoust also writes for the National Networker theNationalNetworker.com