Ep 38: Four Ways to Support your Team During a Launch
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Supporting Your Team During Launches: 4 Strategies to Prevent Burnout
Launches can be a real grind and can take a toll on your team. To ensure your team can perform at their best during the launch, it's important to support them and prevent burnout. As someone who has been through multiple multimillion-dollar launches, I've learned the hard way how important it is to have a solid support system in place. Here are four practical strategies that you can use to help your team power through launches without sacrificing their well-being.
Effective Communication
Launches can be a pressure cooker for your team, and one of the key factors that can make or break your success is effective communication. When everyone is on the same page, you can avoid errors, make decisions quickly, and keep the launch running smoothly. These simple steps can help you improve your communication during launches.
Daily Huddles: A daily huddle, or standup meeting, is a great way to keep everyone on the same page. This short meeting should last no more than 15 minutes, and all team members involved in the launch should attend.
Dedicated Communication Channel: Having a separate communication channel dedicated to launch conversations can also help improve your communication. Consider setting up a Voxer channel, which is like a group walkie-talkie. This way, you can disseminate information and get quick answers without the clutter.
Available to Your Team: As the leader of the launch, it's crucial that you are available to your team as much as possible. Make yourself available for quick questions and decisions, but also remember to set boundaries and protect your time and energy during the launch.
Empower Your Team
Empowering your team is essential. During the launch, it's even more crucial to give your team the freedom and clarity to make decisions and achieve the desired results. Before the launch, hold a meeting with your team to discuss everyone's roles and responsibilities. Make sure each person has a clear understanding of their key performance indicator and how it contributes to the overall success of the launch. You also want to be clear on the types of decisions you want to be involved in. Focus on the big key decisions and let your team handle the rest. Empowering your team is a win-win situation, and it will help ensure a successful launch.
Importance of Thoughtful Decisions
The business owner will not always be removed from every decision that's happening in the launch, but it's important to make thoughtful decisions to avoid frustrating and burning out your team. Making decisions on a whim or due to a new idea can have a big impact, but you may not be fully aware of the true impact of the changes you're making. This can lead to a ripple effect across the entire team and require them to redo work, which can cause frustration, resentment, and even burnout. So, always take a deep breath, consider the ripple effect, and make thoughtful decisions that keep the business, you, and your team in mind.
Build in White Space
During a launch you want to make sure your team is taken care of. One mistake that many people make is not creating any "white space" for their team. This means that they don't give their team a chance to rest and recharge, leading to burnout. It's important to build in time for your team to relax and process the work they're doing.
Support Your Virtual Team
Virtual teams often get forgotten during launches, and this can be especially stressful for them. It's crucial to find ways to support your virtual team during the launch, whether it's through food, self-care, or financial incentives. If you really want to go the extra mile, you could create a "Launch Survival Pack" for each member of your team. Personalize each pack with items that cater to their favorite things, dietary restrictions, or even quirky hobbies. And don't forget a handwritten note to show your appreciation. Fill the pack with essentials that will make their launch experience a little easier.
Key to Success
When it comes to a launch, supporting your team is the key to success. The fast-paced and high-pressure environment can be challenging, but with the right strategies in place, you can make the experience more manageable and rewarding for everyone involved. Leverage at least one of these strategies in your next launch. By supporting your team, you'll see increased productivity and a more successful outcome.
