Hip Hop Wisdom Lesson #19: Connect the Dots

Sometimes when you’re on a journey to do something that means a great deal to you, there are several stages you must go through and even more steps that have to be taken. We’ve already established that getting started and being committed to seeing your goal through is paramount to your success. Once that is affirmed, you’ll begin to execute the planning phase. And at some point in the planning phase you’ll begin to work with other people. Sometimes you’ll be able to pick the people you work with, sometimes you won’t.

When working with others, especially when you don’t get to choose your team, it’s more about balancing personalities than managing skill sets. To be able to effectively work with others, you need to provide a clear vision of what needs to be done, just like you did for yourself. If several tasks need to be completed, break your team up into smaller units and give each party a deadline to have their part of the assignment finished. And as each team completes the order as given, have them jump in and help the others. Do this until all tasks are done.

As they work, you watch. See who’s the self starters. Also, see who works well with little to no supervision. Who stands out and who has leadership qualities. Lastly, who’s the weakest link. One type of person you need to watch out for is the charmer. Make sure the charmers earn their keep and not just use their ability to sway people because they are lacking in other areas. Pay attention, too, to those that lack accountability, always riddled with excuses.

The more you work with people, the better you’ll become at formulating teams. You’ll know who works well with who, and how to use others in crunch situations. Then you’ll be able to find your leaders which will eventually free up more time for you to do other things.

When choosing vendors, or other people with their own teams, do your due diligence to find out as much about their culture as you possibly can. If you can get someone you trust to refer you to a vendor, start there. If not, look for client reviews and the quality of work they have done in the past. Be clear with your vendors and let them know what you expect from their team. Vendors must also know the chain of command and should provide a liaison between you and them to communicate with before, during, and after the completion of the task.

For example, you may be planning a launch party for your brand. You’re going to need things like a venue, photography, catering, furniture, security, a DJ, sponsors, bar staff, a band, lights, a stage, flowers, decorations, and more. Depending on how elaborate your project is, some things can be consolidated, like catering and bar. But if you want to cut costs and add some flair, you may opt for liquor sponsors. Oftentimes, when you go for liquor sponsors, they want to bring their own branded bartenders.

As you can see, there are lots of people you can potentially be dealing with. And to the partygoer, it all has to look effortless, seamless. However, behind the scenes, things can be very chaotic. That’s why having experience in team building and connecting people is important. Also, having a detailed outline or standard operating procedure is necessary every time. Great projects happen because of great organizers. Empower your people, trust your people, and put them in a position to win.

When dealing with people to help you complete a project or task, the following suggestions may help you build more cohesive teams:

• Be detailed and direct

• Welcome dialogue and questions

• Take care of the people that perform well

• Never underbid or underpay

• Incentivize workers to be more efficient

• Be encouraging, yet firm when coaching mistakes

• Set high standards

• Provide feedback in regular intervals

• Pay attention to body language

• Be an effective communicator

• Hold yourself accountable when things are off track

• Trust your team, avoid micromanaging