Businesses in a way are like families. It used to be that a family was thought of as Mom and Dad plus two or three kids….and maybe a dog.
Today a family can be a Mom, a Dad, a step mom or dad, half brothers, step sisters or some other combination of all of the above.
The problem with continuing to mourn the loss of the traditional family is that we miss the love and relationship of the family that is.
I used to work for a corporation. I had a team. It was a “lock step” team. I had my managers who reported to me and worked well together. And they had their managers and supervisors and staff.
It was a dream team.
All unified in our vision and mission. Each had the other’s back. We were in it together and working full steam.
Then I became an entrepreneur. I opened my own business and I never looked back. I had my new vision and my mission.
Except, being a solopreneur, I didn’t have a team. I missed that. I missed getting others excited about what we were doing and where we were going.
I missed the celebration of our victories together and needed the comfort of people who understood when things didn’t go as planned.
I wanted my traditional family back.
Until I realized….I do have a team. It doesn’t look like the typical corporate team. I don’t have the 8 employees per manager with job descriptions and a succession plan.
But I do have half-team members and step-coworkers. I have a marketing guy in Boston who I believe really cares about my business. I have client’s who I need to motivate and who want to work side by side with me.
I have friends and family who want me to do well, and will, and do pray for my business and for me. And I have readers who give me feedback and join the conversation and help me to navigate the intersections of work and life for myself and to help support others.
I finally realized in my focus to have what my mind remembered as the quote unquote traditional team, I was isolating myself. God was bringing people into my circle and I was limiting who I would consider a team member.
Leaving work I was replaying the day as I drove home. I had several people encouraging me, providing input, praying with me, asking me for prayer, calling with questions and asking if I thought we were on track. These people. All of them.
They are my family. They are my team.
Together we will live and love and accomplish for God’s glory.
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