Remember that each new team member you bring on isn't just a cog in the system of
your business.
Think of each new team member as an exponential accelerant.
Take a second to think about all the different things
you bring to your own job.
Think of all the connections you have in your network, all the ideas you have
bouncing around in your head, all the untapped skills waiting to be used,
your ability to empathize with your colleagues, and
even moral support that you provide to others.
Now think about the fact that if done correctly,
each one of your new employees or partners would bring that same set of skills,
capabilities, and capacities to work on your behalf.
This to me is an incredible thought.
Your team in an accelerant just waiting to be tapped.
It's your job to get them all to utilize their power to help move your
company forward.
In fact, I bet if more executives began thinking about their employees in this
manner, I doubt that layoffs would often be the first cost cutting measure
implemented in down times.
That;s just my personal opinion, of course.
Last and probably the most important reason why team matters so
much is that it will force you as a founder to self evaluate your skills and
role in the new company.
We all know that to many small business owners, the business itself becomes
their baby, and often times letting go of responsibilities can be very difficult.
However, I challenge you to become self aware early in the team building process.
A great way to do is constantly remind yourself that a startup has
very limited resources.
The opportunity cost matters more at startup than at any other time.
If you think about your professional network,
I bet most of you know a small business owner who is constantly running themselves
ragged regardless of how well the company seems to be doing.
These types of owners have a hard time delegating and
often take it upon themselves to tackle new problems,
although they might not have the necessary skill set to do so.
They convince themselves that it's necessary for
them to learn all the required skills to do so.
This is a silly way to approach business growth.
I'm certainly not suggesting that you shouldn't push yourself to
learn new skills, but I am suggesting not to do so at the expense of your company.
Here's a simple example.
Let's say you're opening a bakery and need a logo designed for marketing materials.
Would it be prudent for you to buy creative suite, learn how to use it, and
then design your own logo to save $500?
The answer is of course not.
You should be spending your time perfecting the recipes that can
scale to meet your anticipated demand.
Many entrepreneurs fall into this I need to save money trap,
which is actually a waste of time and resources.
These same principles need to apply to your hires.
Look for talent that complements your skills and
fills gaps in your knowledge base.
Be willing to admit that you aren't an expert and
you'll create an empowered employee and save yourself a lot of time and headache.