When it comes to building and maintaining a successful team, hiring the right people is crucial. This principle is echoed by businesses leaders who recently shared their thoughts on the Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) Dairy Signal podcast. In that episode, Ryan Levendoski, District Leader at Kwik Trip, and Kyle Achord, Vice President of Team Sales at Marucci Sports, delved into the nuances of team building and leadership cultivation.
Creating a strong, positive culture within a team is essential for long-term success. According to Levendoski, Kwik Trip looks for employees who have great people skills when it comes to hiring because everything else when it comes to the store can be taught.
“Whether it’s a CDL driver or whether it’s someone working in a warehouse, we want to make sure we have great people first,” he says. “We want them to have great integrity, that they’re willing to show up and work.”
Build Leaders Through Effective Recruitment
In any organization, recruiting the right people is more than just filling positions; it’s about fostering future leaders. This sentiment is echoed by Levendoski, who emphasizes the importance of hiring individuals who can nurture effective leadership within organizations.
“It’s naturally going to grow up down the line,” he says. “They’re going to recruit good people and they’re going to grow good leaders.”
Surrounded by the athletic space, Achord offers a unique perspective on recruitment. He emphasizes that he doesn’t care how good of an athlete someone was, sharing that “some might just be naturally gifted to throw a baseball.”
“I’m more concerned with what kind of teammate they were and what kind of work ethic they had,” he says. “How were they in their locker room? Were they a team first type of guy or were they selfish?”
Achord’s insights are particularly relevant when it comes to hiring and building his sales team. He focuses on the character of potential hires, especially if a person shows a high level of integrity and trust.
Outline Core Values
Before you can build your perfect team, as an organization you must outline your core values and what you hope to look for when hiring. Kwik Trip outlines their six core values: honesty and integrity, respect, excellence, humility, innovation and a strong work ethic.
Achord says that Marucci Sports mantra has been to honor the game of baseball and softball.
“We want to grow the game,” he says. “And one way to grow the game is to make sure people have a good experience with it. From the customers you interact with to the coaches and players, the athletes continue to invest back into the game to help grow. We feel like we have that chance to make a positive impact.”
Being a young and small company, Marucci Sports didn’t always have a clear path on how to build employees for the future.
“It was kind of an all-hands-on deck, and everybody did everything,” Achord notes, explaining that the people who stayed with the company had opportunities to grow within the organization.
“We’realways going to look internally first,” Achord says, referring to Marucci Sports’ hiring practices. The organization uses tools like the reference guy, a person’s culture index, and skill sets filled out during the job application process to ensure that they are a good match.
Understanding, Listening and Matching
In today’s rapidly changing work environment, understanding what drives and motivates employees is crucial for maintaining a productive and satisfied workforce. Levendoski emphasizes the importance of knowing what makes your employees tick.
“Really, what makes them show up to work,” he says, highlighting the significance of understanding their interests both inside and outside the workplace.
At Kwik Trip, the culture is a fundamental aspect of their operation. Levendoski explains that the company prioritizes a strong, inclusive culture above all else. Beyond this, they have established clear guidelines and comprehensive job descriptions.
At the end of the day, Achord says it is important to listen to your employees and understand what their goals are.
In the dynamic world of business, one element remains consistent: the significance of understanding and nurturing your employees. According to Achord, listening to your employees and understanding their goals is vital. This practice doesn’t just help in aligning individual aspirations with organizational objectives; it conveys a powerful message to your team that their personal and professional growth is important.
“It makes them feel like we’ve taken a more vested interest in furthering them and helping develop them personally and professionally,” Achord says.
By genuinely investing in your employees, you cultivate a sense of loyalty and dedication. When team members feel valued and see opportunities for personal and professional development, they are more likely to remain with the organization for years to come.
