When I launched this blog it was a one-woman operation and it remained like that for quite some time until I realized that the quality would improve if I got some people to join me. This crew then started to grow from just my assistant and photographer, to also include a hair stylist and a makeup artist. However, this team only came together for specific occasions – particularly shoots – and our meetings were few and far between. We shared the same vision and the team dynamics were easy and relaxed since the challenges were few. We worked together like friends and still do today when a project requires us to come together.
Three months ago, my blog Style Yetu was born, and even before the launch I knew that it would be impossible for me to produce a blog of this magnitude all by myself and achieve the quality and versatility I was setting out for.
Finding and bringing together a group of talented people wasn’t as easy as I had expected, based on my previous experience. For the team to be effective, its members had to believe in my dream, have the same vision, and share a common goal. We have passed a number of hurdles together including having to let go of a couple of people, and I am still learning every day.
This has not been a walk in the park. I can be very tenderhearted but I have slowly had to be more assertive and grow thick skin in order to deal with the pressure and to get work done. I don’t know it all, every day comes with its different challenge, but here are a few things I can share from my experience so far on building a team.
- Be calm and kind at all times. Take a deep breath and think before you speak or e-mail.
- Listen patiently to your team members, who joined you with their own goals in mind, so you can understand and appreciate their points of view and possible problems – professional as well as personal.
- Be firm and try to insist on having your instructions implemented and commitments honored. Be sure you’ve got the facts right to avoid a possible confrontation.
- Accept that it is OK to say “no” once in a while – in fact, sometimes you simply have to say NO.
- Pay your staff and honor your obligations to them in every way.
- Be generous with your appreciation and praise when warranted
- Make it a shared goal for all of you to be successful not just individually but also as a team.
Do you have any tips?
Outfit featured as seen on this post
