Learn what your team really needs when faced with turbulent times and there seems to be no answers—only questions. Discover how to create a team that can thrive in a world of change.
On Monday, October 14, adventurer and entrepreneur Caspar Craven will use his experiences and expertise to share how collaboration and teamwork can become the standard for your company. Empower your teams to make brave decisions, and learn why change can be the best thing for your business.
Your keynote presentation is titled “Team Dynamics in a Changing World.” How have team dynamics changed over the years?
The core of team dynamics is how we relate to and interact with other people. People haven’t changed, but the world that we operate in has changed and we need to recognise that fact.
Over the past few decades many shifts have happened which have had an impact on us as people. The use of technology, the shift in our culture with the use of smartphones, the gig economy, and that many more of us work remotely has changed the way we used to interact.
Good communication still sits at the heart of good team dynamics. We have little choice but to embrace the changes, and leaders and managers need to adapt to these shifts and work to ensure the team dynamics in your health clubs remain strong.
How have your experiences shaped your approach to collaboration and teamwork?
My early working life was in a period of management as opposed to leadership. It wasn’t collaborative and was driven by the ideas of the top person setting the agenda and a micro-management rigid approach.
This approach came unstuck for me as I pushed my business through a growth phase using this approach. It’s unsustainable to hire smart people and then tell them what to do as, firstly, you won’t get the best from them and, secondly, they won’t stick around long.
My turning point was realising that it was about “we” rather than “me.” My old approach wasn’t working and we had to really understand what was driving each individual person and get each team member doing things they loved doing and developing deep skills in each of those areas.
Sitting right at the heart of a team are individuals with feelings and emotions. Make them feel listened to, make them feel valued, and develop their skills to be the best that they can be. It’s the same in a family team as it is in a business team.
Is change good for business? How might change impact the fitness industry?
Whether you view change as good or bad, one thing we can’t avoid is that it’s inevitable. We are continually being disrupted by new technology and innovation the world over.
This change creates new opportunities. New opportunities for the fleet of foot to seize to gain a competitive advantage. These changes drives competition, which for me, is a good thing for delivering the best outcome for our customers.