Whether or not you realize it, your organization is married to your web team lead. Or you should be! Organizations that churn through web leads rarely realize their true web strategy, and more often than not, end up spinning their wheels and exposing themselves to constant battles over who owns the web. Many times this manifests itself in dislike and sabotage of web projects, and by extension, their sponsor – the executive. At other times it shows in the lack of any clear web ownership.
So with that in mind, it really is a good idea to marry your team lead, and as with any marriage partner, you should consider a solid set of traits when making that big decision:
- Positive attitude: there will be ups and there will be downs, but can your partner support the end goal and keep a positive frame of mind to keep fighting the good fight?
- Good communication skills: your web team lead needs to communicate to those reporting to him/her as well as to executives. You want someone who gets it, can relate, and relay information to those needed audiences
- Forgiving: the team lead takes a beating. Sorry, it’s the truth! Forgiveness will save your marriage more times than you can count, so rank this high on your list!
- Common sense and money-wise: yes that CMS or portal platform will meet your needs for the next 10 years. But do you really need that, at a $2.5 million cost? Unlikely a home, your CMS won’t appreciate, so get someone with common sense into your organization and look to have them be money-wise as well.
- Honesty and respect: needless to say, this is a two way street. You should give it, but also get it back. After all, you and your web team are in this one together!
- Hard working: this one should be clear, and if your web team lead isn’t willing to sign up for it, hit the dating scene again!
- Compassionate: you want a lead who will understand and relate to all web stakeholders, from your business users, to the external site visitor, to the development team, and quite frankly you.
- Faithfulness: steer clear of the individual who will sabotage you or your web initiatives, and who will keep faithful to your strategic objectives. This applies to the relationship with internal folks, as well as external to your organization.
- A sense of humor: you will go through a lot with your web team lead, including some uncomfortable early-morning calls around server down time and inability to launch the project. What’s important is that through the ups and downs, you have someone that you can laugh with.
- Ready to commit: you want a partner who is ready to settle down and not use you as a stepping stone to move on for their own career growth or earning potential. By the same token, make certain you pay your web lead well, ensure mentoring and growth opportunities, and show the value the web lead brings to the organization. Promotion potential also helps, but many good web leads are willing to give you the best years of their life as just that – a web team lead!
So whether your site is large, medium, or small, your site (and you!) deserve a lifetime of happiness, whether you see that as making it to your silver wedding anniversary or having someone with you into your golden years.