Hire Great Virtual Team Members – Our TBF Lessons Learned
An entrepreneur can only fly SOLO for so long. Once your business begins moving and shaking, it’ll become more than any one person can manage, and this is a wonderful thing. So hiring a virtual assistant can be very valuable for you and your business.
But even once we decide to to take on team members, finding the right fit can be a challenge.
I learned this lesson the hard way.
Early on in my entrepreneurial life, I hired a virtual assistant (my 2nd virtual assistant EVER and my first PRICEY one). One of her first tasks was setting up an email sequence to my young, but growing precious list, comprised of my first important contacts. It was a group I wanted to impress and grow with as I established my business. One day, in the midst of traveling, I checked my inbox to find that all seven emails of my planned series had BOMBARDED my list at once. I was mortified (as was my new virtual assistant, at such a simple, but glaring mistake.
Does this mean I should have presided over the email sequence myself to ensure it was done right? Of course not. I was, and remain, a firm believer in the power and freedom of delegation. But that particular virtual assistant wasn’t a good match for me, or my work flow.
I learned that hiring good, qualified and personality-fitting team members is as vital as the decision to hire in the first place.
When it comes to your business, your passion and your life’s work, it’s essential to choose THE RIGHT PEOPLE to share the reins with.
Since my email sequence snafu, I’ve learned a few lessons on hiring connected, relief-providing and growth producing team members, and this week, I’m thrilled to share a few of them with you.
Top Five Things to Look for When Hiring New Team Members:
1. Great Team Members Ask Questions
It’s tempting to think that a good team member can handle any assignment thrown his or her way, with minimal need to clarify. (Until we get the work back, and find it’s nothing like the project we originally had in mind!) Please remember great team members are stillnot mind readers.
A good hire won’t be quiet unless they’re away doing work. Especially as they’re getting accustomed to your business, your offerings and your unique style. Someone with the confidence to know what they don’t yet know, and the willingness to learn and ask, is someone you want on your team.
2. Powerful Team Members are Pro-Active
After some training and several test projects, good team members get into your workflow and standards well enough to self-manage.
Of course there will still be questions, make time for them but if you set a schedule for assignments, and set up follow-up systems, good team members remain in tune with their own assignments and deadlines. They’ll hold you accountable for your part and keep their projects flowing seamlessly.
3. With Awesome Team Members, Delegating Effortlessly Turns Into Releasing
The moments when I’m traveling, or knee-deep in a client project and worries about my email campaigns are farthest from my mind – these treasures are thanks to my wonderful team. A to Z. Soup to nuts. They’re accountable, responsible and trustworthy, meaning I can fully concentrate my gifts on the work I need to do.
4. Terrific Team Members Track Time And Tasks
Using Asana, Basecamp, Trello, or however you decide to manage your team, your good team members will check in with you, update you on their progress and make deadlines.
For specific time tracking, especially at the start with outsource, PayMo will run in the background to check on consistent work. And if you’d like to track your new hire with screenshots, Tahometer is your best bet.
5. Good Team Members Match Your Personality & Communication Styles
The most harmonious teams have most cohesive communication. As the leader, this responsibility is in your hands. Self knowledge and confidence are necessary, but pride has no place in business management. Tell your team, especially your online business managers and project managers, where your weak spots are – they’re here to fill in the gaps.
And be patient with new team members – instead of jumping to blame for a project that doesn’t meet your standards, question how you could have better communicated. Working with a team is a learning process for entrepreneurs too. Know yourself well and know your team members well; teams are like marriages – the better you communicate, the more you create (and the better you’ll live happily ever after).
Have more team-member finding words of wisdom for the TBF community? Add them in the comments below!
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