Brian Jones, How to Successfully Lead and Manage a Virtual Team – InnovaBuzz 389

Brian Jones, VA Platinum

In this episode, I’m really excited to have as my guest, Brian Jones, who is the Founder and CEO of VA Platinum, a team of Virtual Staff Experts. Brian’s expertise is in helping business owners spend less time IN their business and more time ON their business using the one thing that really works: virtual assistants.

VA Platinum is a virtual staffing company based in the Philippines. The thing that really sets them apart is systems. They have over 200 systems to ensure business owners get the best out of their virtual assistants.

In our discussion, Brian talked to me about:

• What makes a good system and who should document them
• How to create and sustain a good, healthy, supportive culture in a remote team
• Connecting projects and tasks to business and personal values and your WHY.

Listen to the podcast to find out more.

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Show Notes from this episode with Brian Jones of VA Platinum

Key points and takeaways from this episode include:

• Document not just how you do a certain task but also why you do this task. WHY you do them is the key to ensuring that the person who does these tasks understands its relevance to your business.
• Let go of your ego. Your VA’s are just like you and you are just like them.  Don’t treat them differently.
• Hire someone with a personality.
• VA Platinum has over 450 internal systems that help them run their outsourcing business and over 500 systems and templates for new clients to help them successfully lead and manage their virtual team.
• The best way to document a system is to hop on a video call with your new VA and share your screen. Show them how to do the task and why you do this task to help them see the bigger picture of the business, and then, ask them to document the system.
• Having your VA document the task themselves helps them absorb it more effectively and is also the best way for them to take full responsibility for the task.
• Self-assessment is key. Document all the tasks that your VA will do. At the end of each month, have your VA rate themselves on how well they perform that task. Sit on a meeting with them to review their self-assessment. This process helps you know when your VA is up to speed and performing really well and can take on some other tasks. 
• Culture is the key to a successful long-term relationship.
• Document your business values and attach those values to every single task that your VA does to help them understand not just where the task fits into the business but also how it fits the values of the business.
• Give your time and attention to your newly hired VA to enable your business to speed up within 3 months. 
• Don’t just give your VA any task that you think they should do when they first start. Write down a list of tasks that you hate doing the most. Start with that list and give those tasks to your VA. When you see your VA successfully doing the tasks that you hate, you will fall in love with them more and they will feel it and be inspired to take more tasks off you.

The Buzz – Our Innovation Round

Here are Brian’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop.

1. #1 thing to be more innovative – Read. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Improve upon it.
2. Best thing for new ideas – Ask questions. 
3. Favourite tool for innovation – Loom.
4. Keep project/client on track – Meetings and checklists.
5. Differentiate – Be yourself. Be authentic. You are different from everyone else. If you can be authentically yourself, you will easily differentiate yourself every single time.

To Be a Leader

Go back and listen to all other episodes of the InnovaBuzz Podcast. 

Reach Out

You can reach out and thank Brian through their website. 

Suggested Guest

Brian suggested we have a conversation with Glen Carlson of the DENT Group and Baz Gardner of the Social Advisor. So Glen and Baz, keep an eye on your inboxes for an invitation from us to the InnovaBuzz podcast, courtesy of Brian Jones.

Links

• Website – VA Platinum
• Twitter – @VAPlatinumAU
• Linkedin
• Facebook

Cool Things About Brian

• He loves running ultra-marathons and fostering children.
• He’s a Melbourne Angels Investor.
• He has gone from zero clients to 70 clients, 165 staff, and $4m turnover in 30 months.

Listen to the Podcast