So! You know that I firmly believe assembling an over-the-top talented team to support your business is crucial. Hiring great contractors and training them to handle their workloads effectively equips YOU to keep your focus squarely on long-term goals, planning, and strategy.
And that gorgeous, will position you for exponential growth and deep-seated happiness. Wins all around!
But once you’ve got your team hired and trained, how do you keep everyone on the same page? Facilitate communication? Ensure that workflows make sense and align with team member strengths?
You’ve got all these fantastic freelancers supporting you, but how do you keep them organized?
In order to lead your team with confidence, you need some systems in place to help them feel stable, connected, and crystal clear on their responsibilities.
Luckily, I’ve got 5 simple tips to share that will help you organize your team like a pro!
Organize your team with an org chart
I know, I know, most of us think of org charts as moderately bogus HR tools used exclusively at mega-corporations. But I’m here to tell you they’ve got a key place in small businesses!
Reporting structure is both touchy and important to running an efficient team, and if there’s confusion around hierarchy it’ll cause loads of friction.
Create an org chart delineating titles and chain-of-command as soon as you’ve got your team assembled, and revise it whenever a new member joins!
Organize your team through clear communication
Your next step after establishing hierarchy is to create a roadmap for communication, and ensure it includes instructions for troubleshooting. Start by setting expectations around communication, including:
- How often team members should update you on their progress
- Team meeting frequency and structure
- Best ways to reach you in an emergency
- Preferred methods/tools for group communication
- File sharing protocols
… and anything else that’s relevant to your specific business model.
THEN! Offer specific information on how to handle hiccups and questions.
Who should team members ask about issues with tech? Vendors? Billing?
If you are the main person they need to consult with questions, where can they find answers if you’re unavailable? Consider making a manual with all of this information, and your business’s main standard operating procedures (SOPs) so that your team always knows what to do and how to handle communications.
Organize your team by utilizing project management tools
Friends, handling everything through email is SO 10 years ago. I strongly recommend getting up to speed by investing in some solid project management software, since doing so will keep your whole team organized and connected.
Analog tools like templates and checklists are definitely helpful, too, but supplementing them with an online portal or program will take you to the next level. When you’ve got a centralized location and tool for keeping communications, files, and progress reports organized, fewer things fall through the cracks. My recommendations and reviews for project management software can be found right here!
Organize your team by thinking ahead
Wanna know the quickest way to kill team confidence? Last-minute stress.
If you, as a leader, constantly scramble to prioritize or hit your deadlines, your contractors will get sucked into that whirlpool of anxiety right along with you. There will always be unforeseeable obstacles, so don’t beat yourself up about those.
But if you plan ahead as much as you possibly can, it’ll help both you and your team members stay organized and on-track. (Need help? Here are my tips for making huge projects more manageable and designing an efficient workflow!)
Organize your team with a shared calendar
Last, but certainly not least, use a group calendar to avoid conflicts with time off, deadlines, and launches that require “all hands on deck.” A huge part of keeping your team organized is keeping them connected and informed.
If they don’t know who’s available and who’s on vacation, or exactly when certain projects are due, they can’t do their best work. A shared calendar helps you and your contractors stay accountable and up-to-date.
Keeping your team organized might feel like a lot of extra work, but believe me, when you get your systems in place, it will save you hours each and every week!
xoxo
Melissa
PS – My VA Training Templates Library takes team organizing to a whole new level with done-for-you project plans you can simply hand off to your assistant. She’ll have everything she needs to organize your entire team to get your most important (and profitable) projects done fast!
