How Smart50 winners and new entries use shared values, fun and failure to motivate their people

Earlier this month, we took a look at how, for many business leaders, the responsibility of managing and leading a team was a constant cause of lost sleep.

Leading people is a challenging part of running a business. Smart50 entries from last year and this year — open now, check if you’re eligible — give us an illuminating look at the challenges, but also the approaches, best practices, solutions and joys, of leading people in a positive, supportive way.

Values, vision and goals

“Hiring a team that shares our values to begin with” was top of mind for Adam Shalagin of AdUnion: “We are all in this together.”

“Sharing your vision, and being very clear on your goals is key to motivating your team,” said Steve Orenstein, founder at Zoom2u Technologies.

“It is important to get them on board from the very beginning, and ensure they are invested in your journey, and are part of it. By ensuring they are part of your journey, you are fostering and developing a genuine interest from them, and one that can grow while the business grows.”

“The biggest pressure we have as a business and business owners is to continue to fuel our growth with great people,” founder of freight and logistics provider Neolink Sean Crook said.

“We do not, and cannot compromise on our values and culture as a business or team, which in a low unemployment environment is challenging,” he said.

Neolink has quite a structured approach to nurturing its ideal culture, which Crook said is “something we define, communicate and live by”.

Culture at Neolink is underpinned by three factors: its behaviour framework, which focuses on hiring the right people and nailing their career planning, the leadership framework, which analyses the performance of team leaders and upper management, and a development plan, which focuses on the individual needs and career journeys of each staff member. 

Diversity and inclusion

“We recognise the need for inclusive practices and the needs of a diverse community through our yearly events and HR policies,” said co-founders Colin Calder and Jonathan Davies of CaSE Contractors, a civil and structural engineering firm. CaSE is determined to close the gender gap in STEM and in the world.

“We believe the current generation of managers’ and engineers’ responsibility is to break down the barriers preventing women excelling in the construction industry; among many other things, we do this by creating an inclusive workplace.”

CaSE encourages young women to view engineering as a career that offers more opportunities and challenges than any other, it encourages employees to pursue skills and training in further education, has a training program and runs corporate events to ensure a connection between its people and its community.

Sharon Melamed, founder at Matchboard, said after working in five different countries, and with a range of different teams throughout her career, she now places a high value on cultural diversity and neurodiversity in her team, as these “invariably expose new approaches and methods of execution” and have also helped her “extract insights I may never have spotted in our customer data”.

Balance and wellbeing

“Encouraging a healthy work-life balance that allows for flexibility, socialising and both personal and professional growth is paramount to the elevation of our employees both as individuals and as a team and ensures our Disruptors stay motivated,” said Ben and Shannah Bradshaw, co-founders of Disrupt Digital.

Since COVID-19, flexibility has been one priority at the top of the list for many job seekers and leaders alike, as working models change and awaken much of the workforce to a new life of hybrid connectivity and different hours.

Fun and failure

“Allowing people to make mistakes and fail, enabling people to offer opinions and be part of the conversation at all levels really drives home the team camaraderie and naturally ignites passion and motivation,” said James Begley and Matthew Pavlich of Pickstar.

Embracing the human side is indeed a fine way to encourage loyalty and let your team feel invested and empowered to find their best. “Laughter!” said Katriina Tahka of A Human Agency, a 2021 Smart50 entrant.

“I motivate my staff by laughing at myself. Be real.

“We go through ups and downs together and have an environment in which it is safe to speak up, so that we can share how we are really feeling, any concerns or questions we have, and we ride it out as a team.”

For Tahka, it’s a way to nurture trust, accountability, motivation — and it helps make sure the egos and pretence are left at the door.

Smart50 entries for 2022 are open now. Don’t miss out!