Posted by Sundi Hayes in If you don’t normally start a book on p. 116 then you should hit these posts first: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5. Hey, if you normally start a book on p. 116 then you’re cool, carry on!
This is it! The end of the Even freelancers need a team series. You made it! When you finishing reading this go check out Freelance Folder and get yourself a copy of The Unlimited Freelancer. That way you won’t miss one single little tidbit – besides that your favorites are sure to be slightly different than mine.
Before I get on with the series I have to tell you a story. Well, really I just want to share part of on email with you. I received it yesterday from a potential client of mine. Since then I’ve wondered if she has been reading my blog. It is official! I’m part of a team!
Following an email from Sundi, I realized Shirley could help with some design work and allow Sundi to do the work she is good at and allow me to go ahead and keep working on my own work! Shirley and Sundi – I hope you will work together to be my North Work Team!
Is that not the coolest thing? Some people are getting this teambuilding thing. Yah for freelancers everywhere!
Alright, enough party! Back to the series…
We talked about the Big Question and the Big Answer, suggested reasons why you should work with others, asked another Big Question (to which only you know the answer), busted some myths, covered the different ways to build your team and now we are going to talk about building the relationships of your team. Amazingly enough it will sound similar to being a good employer with a few freelancer tweeks!
- Reward people. If the job was well done then say so.
- Reward people more. If it is frequently top-notch then take the next step to show even more appreciation.
- Relax. We’re freelancers! Not co-workers.
- Be prompt. Don’t be the thing that keeps your teammate from hitting the deadline you imposed!
- Be a team player. A freelance team is way less competitive than a team in Corporate America. You’ve picked each other after all, so act like it!
- Accept feedback. This isn’t criticism. Your teammate genuinely likes you. Really.
- Offer feedback. Life is just better on a two-way street. After all, if you live on a one-way street, half the time you venture out you’re traveling the opposite direction of the way you wanted to go!
- Give testimonials. You’ve used your team members services so act like a customer. Talk them up so they can truly build their business.
- Be sympathetic. Because freelancers tend to work off hours we all understand a call on a Sunday afternoon might interrupt a family dinner. Be sensitive to their boundaries.
- Take a day off. If your team is local make time for ‘tinis together. Now this is teambuilding in the true sense of the word!
That was the list from Mason and James. You know I have two cents, right?
Since becoming an itty biz owner I’ve met some of the coolest people. Seeing these cool people grow a great business gets me all excited. I’m not talking about just clients – I’m talking about real people I get genuinely excited to see succeed. There are tons of successful itty biz’s out there and the world is a better place because of it!
Build your biz, build a team and conquer the world!
Nibbling away -
Sundi
