4 Lessons Managers Learned the Hard Way (So You Don't Have to)

We asked a few successful small business leaders to share some of the team communication challenges they've encountered — and overcome — to help you build and keep a happy team.

1. Ask for regular, anonymous feedback. De Morgan and Andy Sommer, owners of Houston's Forth & Nomad Market

Meet the Owners: In 2017, life and business partners Morgan and Andy Sommer established Forth and Nomad as a local handcrafted retail store in Houston, after discovering the magic of local offers when traveling abroad. Five years later, it has grown into a multi-location "wellness lifestyle brand" that promotes sustainability. And great coffee for all.

The problem: Last fall, we had a manager in place who didn't exactly toe the lines between management and associates. At the same time, one of their associates showed up with a bad attitude, and they managed to bring down the morale of the whole team. As a result, we had to dive deep to identify and extract people who were no longer bringing their best to our business – and change how everything worked. Eventually, we had to hire another manager.

The lesson: By the time we heard about the issue, it was too advanced to fix. No one wanted to work with these team members, but no one was comfortable saying so because there was no clear channel to file a complaint or a suggestion.

The Solution: We created a process for our team to provide anonymous feedback, as well as a monthly review from their managers, with the goal of quickly identifying any potential issues. The whole team fills it out - and it seems everyone has been honest about it since we started, which has been incredibly helpful.

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2. Have a backup plan for your backup plan. De Val and Joi Jackson, owners of Hairizon Beauty Bar in Durham, North Carolina

Meet the Owners: Mother-daughter duo Joi and Val Jackson saw the need for a natural beauty salon while Joi was in college, and the seed was planted for Hairizon. They started at home and built it into a staple for natural, paraben-free beauty products in Durham, NC.

The problem: When we interviewed candidates, several people came to tell us that they were delighted to work with us and were looking forward to starting on Monday. And then boom - life happens. Someone gets sick, or there's some other reason they can't keep the original promises they made.

The lesson: Many times we found ourselves scrambling to get coverage. Thus, we must always remember that we need a backup plan even for our backup plan.

The solution: We use the Homebase app to facilitate communication when unexpected events occur. If employees need to swap shifts with someone, they can easily do so. They don't even have to call us.

3. Understand that everyone communicates differently. By Kenia Stubblefield, Managing Director of Forth & Nomad

Meet the Manager: Kenia has 11 years of retail management experience and strives to keep employees happy, handle escalating customer situations, and grow her team to develop the skills they need at Forth & Nomad. She focuses not only on training employees in their current roles, but also on...