Why Trusting Your Team Leads to Success

I often have difficulty analyzing my business without bias. So, this blog will aim to do just that; blemishes and all. 

The Marketers and Creatives

The team at Marketing Eye has been consistent for years, and they have grown to be quite a powerful team because of it. This year, we experienced such aggressive and fast-paced growth that we are now in need of more hands on deck. The hiring process, especially when you require the perfect fit for such a close group, is exciting, nerve-wrenching and above all, necessary. Our team is full of bright, talented marketers who want to pioneer the future of the marketing the industry. Finding employees this passionate is like searching for a needle in a haystack. As I have been busy building technology for the future of the business, these marketers have stepped up as if the company was their own. 

Team Bond

Working together for years, naturally, the team has grown to be extremely close.  When I arrive, we pick up right where we left off, as if they just saw me the day before.  When I leave, each team member gives me a huge hug. It is really quite special. Mutual respect for one another goes a long way in our offices, so I truly trust that if someone slips through the cracks and doesn't have the same values, the team will be on the wavelength and handle it appropriately.  

Skills
Their skills never fail to amaze me! Being a generation that grew up on computers, their brains are always acquiring and retaining new information. They are continually bringing new ideas to the table, introducing innovative technologies to the company and keeping up with whats new in marketing. They have found the healthy balance of learning, training and development, and also doing enough billable hours as marketing executives.

Goodbye's
My overseas teams hire and fire their own staff. At Marketing Eye, we believe in pushing each other to achieve our dreams, even if those dreams lie outside of the marketing industry. In the past, we have sadly had to say goodbye to incredibly gifted employees who found their passions in other fields, but once a part of the family, always a part of the family. We stay in touch, and they still join us for drinks and attend our yearly Christmas party. 

On the other end of the spectrum, we occasionally have had individuals join our team and not adapt to our model. For a flat organizational structure to succeed, it requires employees who are self-starters and need little direction. This type of atmosphere isn't for everyone. My teams hold each other accountable, and if someone isn't carrying their weight, the team takes it upon themselves to confront the situation head-on. 

Confrontational conversations are difficult to have in the workplace, but sometimes constructive criticism is necessary. Marketing Eye has a flat organizational structure, so it is essential that the team can hire and fire without having to consult with me. I trust their judgement and often ask their opinions on things because they make solid business and people decisions.

Growth
Our business works on a basis primarily of 12-month contracts. That means that as many account contracts are ending at the same time, many are also starting at once. Before having inside sales specialists, the team had to learn the importance of having a full pipeline. For example, this year my Atlanta team acquired 18 new clients. The sudden spurt of growth also meant that they had to manage onboarding a new staff member and they held off for the right person, rather than rushing into it. My team took their time during the hiring process, ensuring they find the "right fit". They found the perfect person and they will be with the team for a long time.

On track to take over another 30 clients in the next six months, the team is sure to go through this process again. Quick growth requires strategic planning, of which the team has embraced and proven to handle seamlessly. I can't wait to watch this group of millennials further develop, and I am fully confident that they don't need to be handheld through their decision making. 

Energy
You would think that when a group of people have worked together for a while that the atmosphere would become a bit routine. Not at Marketing Eye! The energy levels are consistently off the chart and other people notice. Upon my arrival, I am always approached and complimented on what a vibrant and social team we have. They are excited by life and have the only accept the best of this world. In addition, they love their jobs and the people they work with every day. It makes me incredibly proud to have these men and women represent Marketing Eye. 

I'm appreciative of what I have and thankful that my team allowed me to take time and do what I needed to do. This year it's time to transition the company to be a serious player in the marketing technology industry. What we do next will be our legacy and change the how the market approaches marketing forever.