Two years ago, it was just me in my business.

One year ago, we were a team of 8.

Today, we are 17.

But when I started, I didn’t have a clue how to build a team.

Here’s what I’ve learned since.

Communication Is Key

Everyone says this, but it’s true.

Clear and concise communication is the foundation of any successful relationship.

But it’s about more than just talking. It’s about:

• Setting expectations

• Being transparent

• Hitting deadlines

The rule of thumb here is simple. Your team should always know where they stand with and what they can expect from you. You should know what each team member can do, what you can expect from them, and how to set them up for success. The same goes for your partners, clients, and investors.

Essentially, there should be no gray areas or surprises.

Everything comes down to communication.

You Need a Clear Vision

“We want to be bigger than last year” is not a vision.

You need a north star that your team can rally behind—even if they all have different personal ambitions.

A clear, tangible vision also puts the annual objectives in context, which empowers everyone on the team to make more strategic decisions in their day-to-day work.

At Scalable, every decision we make is driven by the goal of offering a full suite of products and services that empower SMBs to transform their finances. This level of alignment keeps our focus exactly where it should be.

Company Culture Isn’t Just a Nice-To-Have

Scaling company culture is a tough challenge, but having strong core values is essential.

It’s not enough just to talk about or display them on the wall of the conference room. They should guide your every decision—no matter how small—and be reinforced daily so that your team knows exactly what they are. This is especially important as your team grows.

Having strong core values also means hiring and promoting those who live them too—at all levels. This is a non-negotiable if you ever expect to get out of the weeds and let your team take over.

Understand Your Team’s Goals

I know that most of my team won’t be with me for the next 45 years. That’s okay.

Instead, I ask them what they want to achieve while they’re here. Whether it be learning new skills, starting a business, or making as much money as possible, that information helps me help them.

While this approach may seem counterintuitive, it’s been the most effective way to earn the trust and dedication of my team by far.

It sometimes means making slightly less money in the short term, but I’m willing to share wins with my team. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s been good for business.

Assign the Right Roles to the Right People

When you know what drives someone, you can align the role to their ambitions.

For example, one woman on my team only wants to do data analytics work. If I tried to make her CFO, regardless of how good she might be at it, she would leave.

Setting your team up for success in this way is an often-overlooked trick to prevent turnover and to get the most out of your people.

But it’s not a one-time thing.

It’s an ongoing process that can only happen once your team trusts you and you trust them.

Don’t be afraid to redesign the job or let an employee go out on a limb and fail. Your business will be fine, and you will have built far more trust with your team than you may have ever thought possible.

I don’t know if my leadership approach is perfect, but it has worked so far.

Could it be better? Probably.

Do I know what that looks like in practice? Not a clue.

But what I’m doing now hasn’t blown up in my face. We’re still keeping clients happy too, and we continue to grow.

If you need help building your team or have any questions, feel free to reach out.

As always, I’m happy to help.

Putting It All Together

Here are your top takeaways from this week’s post.

1. When I started Scalable, I didn’t have a clue how to build a team. Now that we’re 17 and counting, I’ve learned that above all, communication is key. Effective communication goes beyond just talking though. It’s about knowing what to expect from your team, setting expectations with them, and aligning everyone toward a common goal.

2. A clear vision is not the same as wanting to be bigger than you were last year. It’s an overarching philosophy that guides every decision you and your team make—especially as the business grows. It puts annual objectives in context and prevents wasted effort from chasing down the wrong opportunities.

3. Company culture isn’t just about feel-good sayings or team building exercises. It’s a clear set of core values that everyone on your team lives out and can articulate at any given moment. They should be reinforced daily, inform your hiring decisions, and guide day-to-day decisions at all levels.

4. Helping your team is not just the right thing to do. It’s also good for business. But in order to do that, you need to have frank conversations about what drives each employee—and keep having them.

5. Don’t be afraid to redesign roles or let your employees fail from time to time. I promise, your business will survive, and you will have built unimaginable trust with your team in return.

6. When you set each member of your team up to do their best work, you’ll get far more out of them than you can imagine.

Hungry for More?

1. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn for daily content to take your business to the next level.

2. Book a call to learn how Scalable can transform your SMB.

3. Shoot me an email with your questions or requests for what you’d like me to write about next.

‘Til Next Time,

Connor