SME CONVERSATIONS
Collaborate To Thrive
By Monica Kabui
I habitually like to meet with fellow SME owners to discuss common issues and challenges but also to celebrate our individual wins . On this particular morning , we sat together for breakfast and usual banter but this time the conversations settled on team structures .
Although in SMEs owners are experts and have vast knowledge in their business operations , we can sometimes agree that they can also be a jack of all trades by virtue of their involvement in every area of the business from the onset . As the business grows , the need to delegate becomes apparent , but the number of employees and their roles are all dependent on the current and future structure .
This team formation directly relates to the value of service an MSME ’ s can provide to its customers . It also doesn ’ t subscribe to any particular order . A team can be formed purely by employees hired and retained for each unique role . Some structures work best as project teams that blend consultants and employees to deliver on time bound project expectations .
As an SME , lean is always best . It ensures the business focus is on its core area of expertise . Lean teams operate under optimum conditions requiring excellence at every level . It however can pose the risk of silo working because the departments have one or two employees doing the same job at the same time .
Internal team collaboration is the one thing that SMEs can borrow from large corporations like Safaricom . It builds synergy , boosts creativity and certainly improves the overall morale of a team . Personal work relationships are the cornerstone of any successful team , it boosts reliability and team cohesion which in turn yields the benefit from the advantage of shared intellect . It creates a platform for open communication and in turn reduces the risk of misunderstanding , mistrust and frustration as a famous saying goes “ assumptions are the termites of any relationship .”
Internal team collaboration is the best platform for team mentorship where the most experienced team members share their expertise with the budding team and in turn get an understanding from their juniors ’ perspective . This is especially important because a lean team runs the risk of halting a project in the event that an experienced team member either leaves the team or is absent for some reason . Many SME ’ s suffer this fate from time to time . different , it is however a unique experience where SME ’ s contract each other for different roles . They form strategic relationships that draw strength from each others ’ core business and they can be intentionally symbiotic . For example , a hospital can outsource services from a Human Resource , Accounting or an Information Technology firm .
Here-under are a few ways external collaboration can be achieved : Set and Manage expectations : Drawing up a contract ensures that each party is aware of their responsibilities and delivery structure within which they will expect periodic payment for their service . It sets the stage for managing expectations within each party ’ s abilities and the in the end , the expected outcomes are made clear .
Show off your expertise : There is no magical way to do this than to quiet the distractions . I have found that allowing professionals to handle areas of my business that I have no expertise in opened me to opportunities of learning that would otherwise take years to understand . On the flipside it allowed me to focus more on my bread and butter and in turn offer each of my customers enhanced level of service .
Grow a network of collaborators : There is a strength in numbers that cannot be drawn from anywhere but networking , through this arrangements , one business opens up the door for other business owners to channel their knowledge , and in turn each of these businesses gets first hand experience of what the other does . The two business owners expand their network and open doors for opportunities to work for and with each other .
As proven world over , SME ’ s are the key drivers of the economy and employment . When an SME draws its strength from collaboration whether internally or in strategic relationships formed with other SME ’ s , leveraging the learnings from each experience , they can scale and grow to compete on the global platform .
Monica Kabui is a marketing specialist and the MD of TreeAgama , a brand , strategy and design marketing agency focused on using marketing as a tool to solve business challenges . You can commune with her via email at : Monica @ treeagama . co . ke .
As for external team formation , the dynamics are completely
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