These are unprecedented times as we navigate through the global pandemic. With offices closed and most employees working remotely many organizations are struggling. Companies are being very cost conscious because of the uncertainty ahead. All financial decisions are under extra scrutiny as organizations look to cut budgets to weather the storm and bolster their bottom lines.

Back in 2016 I wrote a blogpost titled, Tough Times Are The Most Important Time To Invest In The Team. The post was in reaction to feedback I received from several clients when I approached them about team building opportunities. The feedback I received was that now was not a good time for team building as the organizations were feeling financial pressure. This defensive strategy is counter-intuitive to me, which leads me to the purpose for this post. It boils down to one word LEVERAGE.

According to Oxford Languages leverage is defined as “the exertion of force by means of a lever or an object used in the manner of a lever.” Additional meaning, “use something to maximum advantage”. Businesses create leverage in several ways, but I see leverage simply as a force for impact. Of all the resources and assets a company can employ to create leverage, it is the employees who offer the greatest force for impact. If an organization is struggling financially and hopes to leverage finite resources to improve the situation they can spend limited financial resources in a number of ways to improve the situation.

If an organization has $10,000 to commit to create leverage and to improve results, what is the best use of those funds. $10,000 in advertising won’t generate a lot of leads, $10,000 is not enough to hire a new sales person, $10,000 is not enough to build a new product, it is too little investment to have a positive return on investment in most cases. The one place where that money can create the most leverage and have the biggest positive impact is if it is invested in the team.

We call these team investments “Team Timeouts”. By rallying the team an organization can created significant leverage and truly turn a negative situation into a positive. Organizations win through their people. By investing the time in bringing the team together virtually or in person to address the current situation, organizations can build positive momentum, can problem solve and can drive employee engagement.

Groove Management has helped several organization orchestrate turnarounds which have all started with an minimal investment in the team. So if you organization is struggling through tough times and you are looking to create leverage, consider making a small investment in your team.

We can help create a force for impact by engaging your team. Reach out to info@groovemanagement.com to learn more.