New team members help your network marketing business grow and thrive. The key is to incorporate them into your team and make them feel included. A cohesive team is part of the foundation of a strong network marketing business. Many teams seem to fall into a natural cohesion. This is super rare. The truth is creating true cohesion takes time and, most importantly, good leadership. Great leaders work to include new team members and foster a healthy and supportive team vibe. Trust is at the core of this: your team has to trust you in order to create a solid team bond. Today, we’ll help you create a solid team that incorporates new members and helps them thrive.

It starts with trust

Your team’s chemistry is built on trust. They have to trust you and each other. First, they have trust that you have their best interests in mind and want to help them succeed, especially new team members. This comes through reaching out and following up with them to see how they’re adjusting. It’s being a mentor to them and suggesting the tools and training to help them become successful. 

Existing team members trust that you will be there in good times and bad. When they’re experiencing challenges, they know you’ll offer advice and support as well as an ear to listen. With this mentorship, they’re more likely to reach out to new team members to guide them through. After all, they’ve been there too. This circle of support helps build trust and creates cohesion.

Set expectations 

Setting expectations in the beginning allows you to establish the code of character and ethics you expect. If you want your team to reach out and help one another, set that expectation. If you desire a positive attitude even in the face of adversity, let it be known and be sure to model it. Be the model of the behavior and actions you wish to see. This allows them to trust you since you’re not expecting anything from them that you don’t expect of yourself. Your team will see how you act and follow suit. Those who don’t will reveal themselves and give you the opportunity to guide and mentor them. Over time, they may adjust their attitudes and become better team members. But it all starts with you.

Foster chemistry

Chemistry is that connection you have with someone else based on common ground. In teams, it’s the connections they have with one another based on what they have in common. Although sometimes this chemistry occurs naturally, often it needs to be nudged along by a leader. 

Just as you set expectations for your team, you’re also responsible for creating chemistry. You’re the one everyone knows and trusts, at least initially. If they didn’t, they likely would not have joined your team to begin with. Your responsibility is to connect your team to one another, especially the new team members. How do you do that? 

How to foster team chemistry for new team members

Focus on mindset

At first, you may be leading a small team. As your business grows, so will your team. The challenge is to think further down the road when you’re leading a larger team. This makes it easier to adjust your mindset later when your team has grown. Lead from the beginning and your team will follow suit.

Schedule team meetings

Face time is critical. Your team, especially new members, needs to know you and one another. This builds trust. Whether you’re meeting online or in person, it is crucial to put regular meetings on the calendar so they become familiar with each other. 

Schedule a Zoom call right away after a new team member signs up. It can be a short, introductory meeting where you set expectations and even start talking about goals. Invite them to the next team meeting. Give them some time at the beginning to introduce themselves and share a bit about themselves. Look for commonalities between team members to encourage connections. 

If you’re meeting online, tell your team members to keep cameras on. It’s tough to build rapport among the team if no one can see each other live. Also, tell team members to mute themselves so they can actively listen when someone is sharing.

Maintain an agenda

It’s easy for meetings to go off the rails. An agenda allows you to cover all the topics that you need to. What should be on the agenda? Include introductions of new members, team wins, challenges and common pain points you’ve noticed in the team. For example, if team members are saying it’s hard to do their Power Hours, share time management tips to help them get it all done. 

You can send it to the team ahead of time and ask them if they wanted to add anything.. If they have anything they want to add, ask them to message you. This allows you to set expectations for the team and remind them that you’re all on the same page. 

Introduce new team members to the team Facebook group. 

Don’t forget to introduce new team members on the team’s Facebook page. Create a post that includes a few fun facts about the new team member. Encourage existing team members to welcome them. Many will respond to the post, but you may want to privately message some members to break the ice if necessary. 

Make time to check-in

Similar to following up, checking in with new team members, and encouraging your natural leaders on the team to do the same, can help them feel at ease and encourage group cohesion.

Block off time each day to check in with your team members, even if it’s just to say hi. If your team is large, it may take time to get through the list. However, it will keep anyone from falling through the cracks. In addition to making them feel like a valuable part of the team, it also builds trust so when they need to talk or want advice, they’ll know to turn to you. 

Teamzy can help you encourage your new team members to thrive

Teamzy helps to ensure that no one falls through the cracks. Connect with everyone in your network on a  regular basis, both individually and as a group, to build trust and foster cohesion. Strong teams need strong leaders so be sure to grow your own leadership skills as your team grows. Teamzy features training programs to grow the skills of new team members, potential leaders and even your own leadership skills. Want to learn more? Click here!