Empower Your Team: Get Your ROI on Hiring a Tech Specialist

SET CLEAR GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS

“ Silence is golden when it’s called for. Silence can be deadly when it’s not called for ” ― Meryl Runion

A lack of clear goals and expectations as it regards my role in a business is a red flag for me. As a matter of fact, this has been the leading factor in my burnout.

Beyond Googled or assumed job description of a tech specialist for your online business, you need to make sure everyone knows what their role is on the team. This does not only help your tech specialists be accountable for their jobs, but it will also help them understand how they fit into the bigger picture of the company.

I’ve had situations where I was working with an agency and the OBM would choose to work on the technical tasks. Then whenever she comes across a problem, she brings me in when the task was supposed to be assigned to me from the get-go. While cleaning up after her isn’t a bad idea, it always comes with urgencies, confusion, and even more technical troubles than we can manage. 

Another instance of where setting clear goals and expectations cost us was when a Social Media Manager needed a link and instead of reaching out to me/tagging me, she reached out to someone else who wasn’t available at that time. It was until the next morning I got to know while reviewing IG DMs.

As a business owner or OBM, you must make sure everyone knows what’s expected from them and why. When people don’t understand why something is happening or why someone else needs their input, they can’t help but feel frustrated and anxious about their job—which makes it harder than ever for them to perform up to par at work! 

Quick tip: Make sure everyone understands what needs doing, by who, and when it needs to be done. 

GIVE YOUR TECH SPECIALIST THE RIGHT TOOLS

OK, this is me saying use the right tools for your business. Technical consultants are going to advise you on the health of your software, and what needs to be upgraded or downgraded and it’s to your best advantage to at least consider their recommendations. 

I understand attachments are made with technologies and it may sometimes be difficult to let go, but having to go in to manually add subscribers to a tag because an email marketing software kept glitching isn’t the best use of your tech specialist. It defeats the whole purpose of the software, which is to automate lead generation and email marketing. 

I remember a scenario where some of our leads were tagged and the email campaign didn’t add them to the right automation after their webinar. It was during the weekly tech check-in that I noticed. You can imagine how awkward it is to watch a webinar on Monday and only get the post-webinar emails on Friday because your software refuses to do what it should do. 

MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE PARTNERS

Make sure everyone on your team feels like they can speak up and voice their concerns without fear of being ridiculed or humiliated. Technology is ever trendy and changing. This means having open-door policies for anyone who wants them, listening attentively when people ask questions or want feedback about their work, and making sure people feel comfortable saying what needs fixing without feeling judged or ridiculed for making mistakes (even if those mistakes were made by someone else).

For example: ask questions like: “What do you think would be a good strategy for getting [task] done?” or “How would you handle this situation if it came up?” These types of questions will allow your team members to take ownership over their tasks and solve problems on their terms instead of yours.

When everyone feels like they’re contributing equally, your team will work more efficiently because they’re not worried about being micromanaged or feeling like they’re being forced into doing something against their will. They’ll instead feel empowered by having choices about how they want their day-to-day lives handled at work (and in life).

PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY

A great way to help your team work efficiently is by providing flexibility.

Flexibility is a big part of what makes being self-employed fun. Working from home or on the weekend is not just about being more productive—it’s also about feeling like you can take care of yourself and your family in a way that works best for you.

So what does that mean for your business? It means that if you want to make sure your employees feel valued, then making sure they have options is an easy way to do it. For instance, I’m an introverted tech specialist who smiles all through team meetings but you will be in your slack DM or project management with any ideas I think of. 

Flexibility also means letting me know as early as possible about when a launch will be. While I act on my feet, I also prefer soft and unpressured launches. 

Give people autonomy when appropriate—but also give them clear boundaries as well. 

SET GOOD EXAMPLES

The best leaders know that when everyone’s working together, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When you have a team full of talented and motivated individuals who are all working towards the same goal and are empowered to make decisions, good things happen.

As a leader, it is important to set a good example for those who you lead. Your actions and words should always align, and you should always be striving to be the best that you can be. Your team will look to you for guidance, so you must always set a good example for them to follow.

Leadership is not about telling people what to do – it is about leading by example and inspiring others to be their best selves. If you want to be a successful leader, always remember to lead by example and set a good example for those who you lead. 

APPRECIATE THEM

Encourage teamwork by celebrating achievements with your team members and giving them recognition for good work every once in a while!

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work of your team, so it can be hard to remember that they too have lives outside of work. But when you do remember to stop and reflect on their accomplishments and how they’ve helped you grow as a leader, it’s easy to see just how much they bring to the table.

One way you can show appreciation for their efforts is by taking a moment to highlight their contributions. You could start by putting them on your email signature or sharing a specific accomplishment with them on Slack—just make sure it’s something that demonstrates how much you appreciate what they do for your company.

Another way is by asking for their input when planning future projects or initiatives. This can be especially effective when it comes time for new hires because it shows them how much value you place on their opinions, which will hopefully motivate them to give honest feedback when asked during job interviews.

The best part about this kind of approach is that it doesn’t take much effort from either party—just some extra thoughtfulness and communication!

By empowering your tech specialist, you’ll get better results and less frustration. When done right, you’re looking at a 125% ROI on hiring.