A little over 6 months ago my friend Matt Cromwell asked me to help admin a little Facebook group called Advanced WordPress. When I said “sure, why not” I had no idea how many new friendships I’d make, how much WordPress knowledge I would gain or just how much I would learn about running my own business from being behind the scenes of this group.
Get Out of the Way
Our number one goal as admins in AWP is for no one to realize that there are admins in AWP. We strive to take a very hands off approach, while still guiding and monitoring the group closely enough to ensure value and consistency.
How would your business run if you only interfered in your employees when you would have a positive influence on their work? What would happen if you got out the way and let people do the work you hired them to do?
Hire People More Talented Than You
The admins in the Advanced WordPress group make up a broad range of skillsets. We are designers, developers, security experts and business development pros. When Michael Bastos started the group, he knew “Advanced” would mean different things to different people, so he armed the group with people who excel in different areas.
As a leader in your business, you should always seek to hire people more talented than you.
Stive to work with people who have more than a watered down version of your own skill set. Find what you aren’t great at and hire some who is.
Last week we talked about the ego issues that can stand in the way of hiring the right people in your business. If you can recognize the value of working with a diverse and highly talented team, you’ll find yourself with less stress and much happier clients.
Set Some Ground Rules
We try to be as hands off as possible in AWP, but to bring value and meaning to the group we do require some basic ground rules. We keep the rules simple and clearly stated — so there’s not confusion when a line is crossed. This allows the admins to take quick actions and only intervene when it is clearly necessary.
As a leader in your business, are you making your expectations clear? Do your employees know exactly what is expected of them in order to be successful? Are you keeping your internal rules and processes simple enough that you don’t need to interfere consistently?
You have better things to do than micro manage and your employees have better things to do than be micromanaged. Set your ground rules, keep expectations achievable and simple, and you’ll have more time to spend growing your business.
Listen and Then Act
Advanced WordPress was originally a public group. About 5 months ago some members expressed concern with their posts and questions being open to clients and some worried their activity in AWP was overwhelming their newsfeeds.
We decided to take a vote and follow the group’s consensus to make AWP private.
How often do you and your management team change processes that directly affect employees’ workdays? When was the last time you bid on a project without talking to your developer? The process probably didn’t roll out smoothly and the project you bid likely went over budget and out of scope.
As a leader, it is your job to gather information from your team, not to make decisions on their behalf. Listening is the most important part of your job.
Just Start
When Michael Bastos started the Advanced WordPress group, he probably didn’t expect it to one day reach 10,000 members. He probably didn’t expect Matt Mullenweg himself to join the group. He just knew the advanced community needed a place to come together and support one another. He just did it.
Last week at WordCamp DFW, Cory Miller talked about the opportunities in our lives to “Click Publish“. To put something of ourselves out into the world, to let go of reservations and simply ship it.
As a leader in your business, you must have the ability to just start. To click publish. To take the frightening steps into the unknown, with no real idea of what might happen next. You’ll never know the potential of your ideas if you never launch them.
What business leadership lessons have you learned from unlikely places? Share your experiences and what you’re doing to be a better leader in the comments.
Yep, you read that right. We just hit 10,000 members over at Advanced WordPress. To celebrate, the admins have put together an amazing raffle with 7 prizes you will not want to miss. Sign up before 9am CDT on Wednesday October 15th for your chance to win!