3 Ways To Save Your Team

Life can be such a jolting and very interesting roller coaster. If you have not got to that point as an entrepreneur, am certain you will. Just six months ago, who thought at a time like this, I would pack my entire life, fit it in a suitcase, travel 3.8K miles away from Nairobi. My voyage would take me  to Accra in pursuit of my personal legend.

I am currently sitting in an office with three new faces, from two different nationalities with different career backgrounds working together to build a tech startup company, in an industry that none of us had any prior experience in. I guess this what you get when you decide to swim upstream and single yourself out to be an entrepreneur. This has been my life in the last four weeks. Remember when I said a roller coaster? Yes, I meant it.

The method of the enterprising is to plan with audacity and execute with vigor.

The difference between success and failure in a startup is  having a great team. We can concur that working in a team is not easy, so what makes a team that makes a startup excel?

From my experience working with my current team and other different teams in the tech space, I have picked up some insightful lessons on teamwork and the dynamics that should be valuable to you as well.

1.                  "Life is not easy for any of us" - Trust Self

The idea of working with a team,may make one feel nervous, perhaps it is  the idea of other people and their personalities drowning us, resulting in us  shrinking in these teams settings. Or alternatively we in fact feel comfortable enough to take  control, to lead others and take them on our journey.

As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.

Ultimately every position we take affects how we contribute and relate with our squad. As an entrepreneur and a business leader, you must believe in yourself. The contribution, ideas, and insights that you bring on the table are valuable to the team. You must allow yourself to creatively re-imagine solutions and possibilities that might come in handy . Be willing to and ready to offer your skills, expertise, opinions, and insights, that may  contribute to the growth and progress of the team. Believe in yourself, trust your leads, guts, and your standpoints. Be brave and bold to bail your circle whenever needed.

2. None of us is as smart as all of us - Trust People

You are not building the solution alone, are you?  And that's why you are building a vision, not a dream, something greater than I. As such trusting others, their ideas, their sentiments, and reflections is supreme. Have in mind the reason why you chose your team or inversely why  they choose you.

Your teammates are smart, valuable and have something to offer.  As such their contribution to the table is of great essence. Trust that they have the best intention for the team and give them the benefit of the doubt, it's very important.

Trusting others and surrendering enough control, allows us to become better in building the squad. We build a team to collaborate and without trust, it's hard to merge and unite.

This does not mean that your members don't stand to be corrected, but when the case arises, we address and voice our thoughts in a cordial and respectful manner. We don't give a desertion to people, we jaw to our opinions to subjects and themes. As often said, a team is not only working together but also walking together, further and faster. The last thing you would want is to hurt your line-up.

3. Hold the vision and - Trust the process

We don't always win, but the team does. Our best ideas, thoughts don't always make it to the top, but even in that, remember you are part of a team. In order to win, your full input and dedication is required. Personal differences should not be the reason why the team is not progressing or pursuing the mission. Trust the process, whatever lands at the top is the best for the squad.

Ideas agreed on and strategies laid should be trusted to guide the team  towards its mission. Trivial concerns like when to put colors and fonts may arise , however they should not be a reason to hold the team in disagreement for even days or even hours.

Trust that whatever is agreed on is for the best and move on. Does this mean you don't question the process? No. But do it in a way that contributes to the growth, progress and harmony of the crew.  It is by trusting this process that makes the startup work. The process is the most important part of the startup journey. Appreciate it when you can.