Dec 15, 2023
Building the right team and establishing a well-structured workforce is essential for any MSP looking to scale and thrive. Stuart shares his invaluable insights on this often-challenging topic, shedding light on why it's such a crucial issue and offering practical tips to help you get it right.
Understanding the Challenge
As Stuart explains, creating the ideal people structure within your MSP is a challenge because it revolves around, well, people. Managing a team, particularly as your MSP grows, becomes one of the most complex and significant tasks. It's not just about hiring the right individuals; it's about ensuring they work together harmoniously and efficiently towards your common goals. As MSPs expand, they often encounter frustration due to the complexities that come with scaling a team, and this episode aims to address those frustrations head-on.
Planning Your People Structure
One of the first key principles Stuart highlights is the importance of planning your people structure for the future. It's not merely about tweaking your existing team; it's about envisioning what your business should look like down the road. Stuart encourages MSP owners to think about the roles they'll need to fill, whether in finance, sales, or operations, to make the business work for them rather than the other way around. With hybrid working and remote setups becoming increasingly prevalent, planning becomes even more critical.
Understanding Your Current Team
Stuart emphasises the need to thoroughly understand your current team – who they are, what roles they fill, their skills, and their behaviours. Many MSPs make the mistake of keeping underperforming employees due to familiarity, even when they know deep down that these individuals aren't pulling their weight. Identifying and addressing these issues within your existing team can significantly impact your business's growth and success.
Aligning Skills and Ambitions
Stuart touches upon the importance of aligning the skills and ambitions of your team members with the roles they occupy. Not every senior technician is suited to be a Service Delivery Manager, and not every junior tech wants to tackle project work. It's crucial to understand not only what people want to do but also where they excel and where they find their "flow." This alignment can significantly boost productivity and engagement within your MSP.
Recruiting to Fill the Gaps
Once you have a clear understanding of your future organizational structure and your team's skills and aspirations, the next step is to recruit to fill the gaps. Stuart suggests hiring individuals who possess the skills needed to support your business's growth. Additionally, consider developing existing team members by aligning their interests and ambitions with the roles you require.
Dealing with Mediocrity
Stuart highlights the damaging impact of tolerating mediocrity within your team. If you have team members who don't align with your company values, fail to meet performance standards, or lack commitment, it can hinder your MSP's growth and success. Addressing performance and behavioural issues head-on, even if it involves difficult conversations, is crucial for developing an effective people structure.
In conclusion, shaping the people structure of your MSP is a critical endeavour that requires careful planning and alignment. Stuart's insights in this episode shed light on the common challenges MSP owners face and offer practical steps to address them. By understanding your team, aligning their skills and ambitions, and being proactive about performance issues, you can create a workforce that not only supports your growth but also enables your MSP to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.
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