Focus

All businesses benefit from forming strong teams, but a roofing business in particular can become a more effective organization if its crews work well together and management works well with field employees. In a Nov. 9 post to The Huffington Post,^® author Rebecca Shambaugh discussed five strategies for maximizing collaboration within an organization.

First, Shambaugh stressed leaders who openly share information with subordinates will create a shared sense of purpose, decrease competition and hold teams together. She writes: "One hallmark of a traditional hierarchical leadership style required that senior leaders hold onto information without sharing it, which projected a perception of authority and control. As a more effective alternative, sharing information creates a foundation for collaborative leadership, building trust so that everyone feels a part of the team and on the same page."

The second strategy is to embrace conflict by encouraging debate and allowing the expression of different perspectives. The best leaders know when a debate has reached a level that no longer is productive and can redirect a conversation back to the task at hand.

Thirdly, Shambaugh says leaders who seek out differences within their organizations will increase collaboration within the group. She says: "While it may feel natural initially to have a higher comfort level with people who share your own work style, beliefs and experiences, this approach often results in missing the opportunity to optimize collaboration with a wider range of team members."

Related to this idea is the fourth strategy, which is to move beyond biases. A productive team leader will check his or her assumptions before making a decision and be open to alternative viewpoints.

And finally, Shambaugh says leaders need to learn how to be physically and emotionally present with their teams, which will involve developing effective listening and conflict-resolution skills.

By implementing one or more of these ideas into your business, you will improve how your teams work together. And the collaboration ultimately could help improve your bottom line.

Ambika Puniani Bailey is editor of Professional Roofing and NRCA's vice president of communications and production.