“Mad Hatter” – Working at a Small Company Requires Many “Hats”
If you’ve ever worked for a small company, you more than likely have worn different hats depending on the day or task at hand or, sometimes, multiple hats at one time. I see it as a benefit as it allows for broader understanding of a company, variation of skills, learning new ones, not falling into a rut, and taking pride in what you have to offer the company.
I remember many years ago thinking: wouldn’t it be great just to be a number in a big organization?
After giving it a moment of thought I said to myself…“I don’t want to be a number, I love being so involved in a company!”
For many of us at RIVA, we do wear multiple hats. The hats range from administrative tasks to moderating to training to project management to analysist or whatever is needed at the time. This allows us to step into almost any area needed within the company. I believe wearing different hats at RIVA has made us work better as a team, since we can understand what one is doing when they are wearing their hat.
Of course, on the flip side, wearing multiple hats could cause more stress and/or a heavier workload. Making sure one doesn’t take on too much at a time can reduce the negative effects of wearing multiple hats and passing things on to others is extremely important. It helps them grow and learn new skills and it allows you to take on new opportunities.
As part of leadership, it’s important to make sure people in your company are supported in both little and big ways.
RIVA students have commented on how they see us as a team and the way we work to support one another as well as our students. Having people outside of RIVA notice how we interact and support one another speaks volumes to the type of company RIVA is.
Think about what you want out of the company you work for, regardless of if it’s a large corporation or a medium to small company. Make sure you continue your journey in the work that brings you growth and joy. I’ve always believed it’s important to do what you enjoy. Think about trying on different hats to see what fits you best!
Written by: Amber Tedesco, CEO at RIVA