#BuildingHellocare — Building the team that builds the company that builds the product

I Am Not A People Person

I love humanity, it’s people I just can’t stand.

This humorous quote I found somewhere on the internet has some truth in it for me. I love the idea of humanity, I love the human race, we have come a long way together — good, bad and ugly. I think we deserve some accolades.

On the other hand people in groups give me the jitters. I have only recently begun to overcome my fear of groups of people. I should get some accolades too. Conversely, again, I have absolutely no troubles engaging in one on one discourse with individuals — all I need is a reason to engage and off I go.

Yes, sometimes I don’t understand myself too — but I learn something new every day.

It takes a village…

Whether I like it or not, I have to work with teams, especially as I take on a challenge bigger than me. Working with teams means working with people and working with people means facing my fears. Phew!

Start a Cult or Fellowship and Build a Community

Find people that believe in your purpose and believe in them.

I totally made this up. But aren’t all quotes made up?

I learnt this early on, to build a strong team recruit people who show unbridled enthusiasm in your purpose. It is one of a number of criteria — although it seems like the most important. Skill and qualifications matter less to me. The most important question I ask is, “do you want to do this?” or “would you like to work with us?” After which we talk about what they will like to do for us and we explore ways to strengthen their skill set in that regard.

Build And They Will Come

Sometimes, the right people need a little bit of convincing before they commit to your mission. These people, too often have commited to organizations in the past that panned out too soon and so they have some form of commitment fatigue. Prove your worth and let them see how serious you are and they will come knocking.

Invest in People

For team members to help the team achieve its purpose they need to have the right skills at a level sufficient enough to enable them perform well. Which is why the best organizations today commit to helping team members acquire skills in needed areas like design and marketing to help them move the team forward. We are learning from organizations that are doing excellently in this regard and we will have a workshop soon to help our team members the build skills they need to function better.

Leave No One Behind

Simon Sinek repeatedly compares the organization to a family and would often recommend that companies desist from the hire and fire mentality because it costs the organization time and money to search for and hire team members and firing leads to a break down of trust within the organization. He advocates that organizations help team members who are lagging behind realize their full potential by asking questions about challenges private or professional that may be holding them back. We do not fire our family members because they fall short of their targets, so why should we fire our team members?

Haaaaaaave You Met Clark?

Left to my own devices, I want to design things, people and processes and make them better all day. Managing people is a headache I would give anything to avoid which is why I have been in a cheery mood since yesterday after meeting with Dr. Clark a friend and colleague. In many ways Clark is like me, appears reserved and taciturn, tall 😊. But he is radically different when it comes to relating with people. He has a gregarious personality and he does not mind getting noticed. He offered to help organize and direct the team and I have been glad ever since. Now I have one less task to worry about as I joyfully look forward to a future where all I do is design!