A Weblog entry posted on Wednesday, August 15 2007

Let people do what they do best by Aaron

We recently had lunch with a couple of web developers here in Memphis and it came up how we try to stick to what we do best, and team up with other people/companies for their own expertise. We think this is important, if not essential for a small company like ourselves to be successful. Although, doing only what you do is best is somewhat of an oxymoron for a small company being that we often have to wear several hats to get the job done. We all have to have a certain knowledge of all different aspects of web development and business in order to work well together. Even though I’m not a programmer, I do need some kind of base knowledge in order to communicate well with Stephen and Nate, and the same is true for them. I would argue that both Stephen and Nate have a great sense of what good design is, especially for being programmers. :)

While the idea of a being a “renaissance man” is a very romantic ideal, it doesn’t make much business sense. When you try to do everything, you end up not being good at anything. Clear Function likes to stick with what we think we do best, which is web development. Because of this, we enjoy partnering up with other design, advertising, public relations, and marketing companies if a project requires those specific needs. For instance, if a potential client comes to us about a new website and logo, we’ll tell them from the get-go that we don’t do logos, but we can put them in contact with a great design shop. And in doing so, this provides a sense of integrity about Clear Function as we don’t try and sell a client on something that we know we’re not the best at doing. The same goes for a client needing a great viral marketing campaign for their web application. Could we do a sufficient job and get the word out about their project or even develop them a new logo? Quite possibly, yes. But, company X over here that specializes in just that, would do a 100% better job.

It's both practical and business smart

Letting people do what they do best is also a very practical and business smart thing to do. Here’s several reasons why:

• No toes are stepped on

  When you’re working in any kind of group, it’s important to respect what each person’s job is and allow them to take charge of that specific task. If a particular person tries to do everything, that person usually ends up stepping on one’s toes and conflict erupts.

• Projects are completed better and more efficiently

  Letting people do what they do best implies that they are actually good at what they do, and the project or task is going to be better all around.

• People are generally a lot happier

  Usually people enjoy what they’re good at. This again, makes for a much smoother and better project. Having happy people means a better work environment, better communication and execution.

• When you refer work to someone else, they’ll return the favor

  From a business standpoint only, teaming up with other companies can be a great way to get new work. If you start referring work to other people, they’ll more than likely return the favor, or at least drop your name to a potential client. It’s a great way to network with people and get a great community of talented people together.

A daunting task

In closing, I must point out that this can sometimes be a daunting task. Turning down work because you feel that you’re not the right man/company for the job can be a scary thing to do. But in our experience, it’s worthwhile and is a much better way of doing things in the short and long term. It means having a high level of respect for both what you and other companies do, and that always pays off.