One of the best things about managing a team is watching them flourish in the spotlight. That was my experience of sharing the stage at Retro Digital with Jake McCabe, Team Leader in Leading Social.
Speaking at conferences and lectures and pitches is a skill that can only be perfected with practice. I’d like to think I’ve learned something from every talk I’ve ever given and frequently ask myself after each talk:
- Have I structured the deck in a way that’s conducive to audience learning?
- Did I deliver this presentation with passion that commanded attention?
- Where could I add more interactivity or fun to make this more enjoyable for the audience?
That’s why I feel it’s so important to encourage team members to take the opportunity to seize real experience speaking before an audience. It takes them out of the insular agency environment and casts them into an environment which demands clear communication, energetic explanation and an openness to challenging views. This experience will serve them in pitches and client presentations in future which will benefit them and the agency.
The team member in question is Jake McCabe – a Senior Account Manager, a Team Leader and Influencer in his own right. Jake did an excellent job of showcasing the skills of Leading Social in campaigns while also giving an insight into the world of Influencer marketing showing his approaching to curating his own Instagram Account as well as his role as influencer for a current Sprite campaign.
With all elements of management there is a constant temptation to try to do everything yourself because it may reach the destination faster or to ensure the output is exactly as you imagined. However, this denies your team members an opportunity to grow in experience. I’d encourage managers to relinquish control and to trust your team to rise to the opportunity – the feeling of watching them succeed is worth it.