How to Build a Dream Team Without Burning Out: My Practical Experience as a Manager

Before you begin recruiting, it’s essential to clearly define who you need. This is particularly important for key roles—department heads, project managers, and other leadership positions.
I always start by creating a profile of the ideal candidate: what tasks they should handle, what qualities they should have, how they think and operate.
A team typically has two levels:

• Key team members—those who make decisions and influence strategy
• Specialists and operators—those responsible for task execution

For each group, it’s important to define which skills and attributes are critical and which can be developed internally.

Finding candidates involves using all available channels: professional communities, HR agencies, LinkedIn, and specialized chats.

Selection, however, is a separate task that requires attention and intuition. During interviews, it’s crucial to assess not only the candidate’s skills but also their core values. Skills can be taught, but fundamental qualities like honesty, transparency, and initiative remain constant. This is what I focus on when making hiring decisions.

Effective communication is the foundation of any team’s success. In my experience, I use tools like Notion, Trello, Google Sheets, and a plan-vs-actual system to set tasks, track progress, and analyze results.

Regular short check-ins help maintain transparency and quickly address issues. Clear responsibilities and deadlines are key to discipline and efficiency.

Delegation is more than just assigning tasks. It’s about clearly communicating the task, explaining the goals and expectations, and allowing the team member to take ownership and make decisions independently.

This topic deserves a separate discussion, as mistakes in delegation often lead to failures in team performance.

A team is made up of people—with their own stories, challenges, and emotions. As a leader, it’s crucial to be more than just a manager. You need to understand what’s happening in your team’s lives and be able to offer support when needed.

Asking a simple question like, “How are you doing?” can often reveal insights into your team’s well-being and help you address issues before they escalate.

• Clearly define who you need in the team, aligned with business goals
• Assess not only skills but also the core values of candidates
• Build a systematic workflow: tools, processes, and clear communication
• Delegate thoughtfully, while maintaining accountability for outcomes
• Stay connected to your team: listen, engage, and support them as people

These principles have helped me build teams that thrive in different environments and consistently deliver results.