Blog

By Jody James Watkins

There have been too many
books to count written on team building in the work place.
Motivational speakers and psychologists alike have been hired by
some of the most successful corporations in the world to which the
expressed goal of improving the team building environment within their
walls.  Major events have been scheduled in exotic locations so
coworkers can forge a deeper bond of trust with each other.
Executives believe that these investments in team building will
lead to increased client satisfaction and an improvement in the bottom
line. 

Alex Jr & Chuy take a moment to use the scaffolding as an elevated dance floor

Oscar Iniguez having some fun with drywall mud at the Boys & Girls Club in Encinitas.

 

Before starting Watkins
Landmark, I have worked for companies where the employees appreciate
each other and come to work with a great attitude.  I have also
worked for companies where employees treated each other with disdain and
would not socialize with each other outside of work.  While the
choice is obvious on where you would like to work, as a small business,
the challenge is making your company that place.

Kristian Burchat, Jody Watkins and Oscar Iniguez after a Padres game.

As
the owner of the small business, I think a great team starts with
hiring people you genuinely like.  If you have a job opening,
chances are you will find many people that are qualified on paper.
However, do you genuinely like this person?  If you do, there
is a better chance that the other people you hired will like this
person as well.  Another question in the hiring process that can’t
be understated  would be is this person interesting?  I have
interviewed some incredibly qualified people who had me nodding off
halfway through the interview.  It is not just conversational
abilities, interesting means that the person you are interviewing is
someone you would like to know more about.  

Norm Testerman reviewing plans with our client Nitzan Reouveni

Once
you have hired the right people, I personally don’t subscribe to any
formula for team building.  I hope my employees see that I have a
genuine interest in their lives and welfare.  Birthdays are still
cause for a celebration at work.  So are weddings.
Accomplishments are always acknowledged.  Humor, sarcasm and
ribbing are to be expected.  The office is a dog friendly
environment.  Our office space has been called anything from
creative to audacious.  We all seem to go overboard with pictures
whether of personal events or work.  Watkins Landmark team members
spend a great deal of time with each other outside of work.  I have
always felt this a very good indication of a great team.  From the
pictures above, you can tell that our team likes having fun at work as
well.  Like most Presidents, I probably use way too many metaphors
and analogies.  That being said, I have always seen fun in the
workplace as the oil in the machine.  If you are having fun at
work, things just run smoother.