If there is one thing I know, it's that I don't know everything. I am a generalist, a Renaissance woman. I know a little bit about a lot of things and I use that knowledge to seek out patterns across a large swath of territory. This allows me to think strategically rather than tactically which is a great boon to my business and to my coaching clients. But you have two choices in life - you can go wide or you can go deep. There is not enough time for both.
This is Why I Have a Team
My team consists of a large number of people who have deep knowledge about specific subjects. So if, for instance, I wanted to write a post about Ancient Sparta and see how it compares to how I run my business (which might be fun to do), I would call my friend Andrew who is an Ancient History teacher. When I wanted to know about how the Internet works, I asked my boyfriend. And now, as I'm working my next post, I'm calling on many friends to help me.
My Next Post
I'm preparing a post right now on my approach to solving the housing crisis. In the process of creating this post, I have called a CPA, a banker, and a financial planner. I needed to have a better understanding of the ramifications of my plan from a practical perspective. The nice thing about having these relationships is that I didn't have to pay for the consultations. I've done things for them in the past and today they did this for me. I can make three phone calls, get all of my calls taken (even by the CPA in the middle of tax season) and get the information I need. It pays to be connected.
Where Is Your Team?
If you don't already have a team in place, then you need to get on that immediately. Once you have them, you need to get together with them regularly to hang out. You would be amazed what ideas you come up with when you talk to people regularly. There is information to learn, plans to be hatched, and joint venturess to be craeted. And who knows? Perhaps you'll have a need to call all of them in one day for a blog post sometime, just like I did today.
I totally agree with you Kelle. I have a tight network of many people in many different professions that I constantly network and share ideas with. We probably have a lunch appointment once a month.
Always remember that teamwork makes the dreamwork.....we can't do it alone....thank heavens for my guys i love you all!
http://budurl.com/quikauction
I'm working on our team and it keeps getting bigger. More importantly, my wife and I have formed a team. She is the personal relationship type person and I am more the business type person. As a team we work very well together.
Sounds like you guys have it down. Good work!
Kelle - My wife and I are a team and we wouldn't have it any other way.lol We do split up to do seperate blogs on occasion but we are always together for listing presentations as well as for most showings. Buyers as well as sellers love teams. I totally agree with you.
Kelle, Darcy and I are a team, it is great to have someone to work with. It is especially good that she likes doing things that I don't like to do; and vice versa. I usually do the blogging and commenting while she does the paperwork, which is good, because I look at paperwork as a necessary evil. Anyway it is always good to draw upoon anothers strengths to overcome your shortcomings.
Robert, Ron, Tony & Darcy - I bought my first house from a real estate duo and I had a partner for much of the time I listed and sold. I love the team concept of selling - it means that you can actually have a day off every now and again - a whole one - where you don't have to check email or voice mail or anything. But don't forget to go outside of real estate in forming your team. Having a CPA on call to explain how buyers will save on their taxes when they buy their home and a financial planner to tell them how much they should put down on the house vs. investing in the market are both really good contacts to have. Those arguments made a lot of sales for me over the years.
My husband and I are also a team. and from there we've added other professionals. You are so right, its great to have their expertise to rely on. (and it does help relieve the blogging schedule:)
Kelle, the thing I hear most when I attend any entrepreneurial or VC seminar is the importance of the team. I see it as a two-tiered network. First, there are the "A" players, the ones you put in front of your clients. These people are strong, smart, and usually have unique skills to the group.
The second tier is your broader network of people whom you know. They may have skills very similar to yours but can offer advice, or even backup if you get too busy. There are also many people in this second tier whom you might rarely need, but can come in very useful when a client asks for that unusual request. They also serve as a source of referrals to you.
I blogged about <a href="http://www.metropoliscreative.com/2008/07/finding-a-team.html">the importance of your A Team here</a>. I'd love your take on it!