The Art of Growing a Small Development Team: Lessons Learned
Tags: onboarding, teams, growth, training
Published: 2024-06-10 14:00:09

---
title: The Art of Growing a Small Development Team: Lessons Learned
published: true
description: Discover why gradual, strategic growth is essential for small development teams. Learn how onboarding one member at a time, ensuring thorough training, and fostering a supportive culture leads to long-term success and stability.
tags: onboarding,teams,growth,training
cover_image: https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/p22egzqz4comq8njov1j.jpg
# Use a ratio of 100:42 for best results.
# published_at: 2024-06-10 10:38 +0000
---

As a tiny web dev team with just the two of us, we recently had to deal with the fun challenge of finding a new teamie. This whole deal really made us realize that throwing a bunch of new people into the mix right away isn't always the best move. It's like everyone thinks, "more peeps, less work, yay!" But, in reality, it can totally backfire.

The thing is, when you go on a hiring spree and add a bunch of new folks too quickly, you're actually setting yourself up for more drama than a reality TV show. You've got more bureaucracy, a higher chance of miscommunication, and everyone leaning on each other like we're playing a giant game of Jenga. This can lead to projects turning into a hot mess and deadlines going out the window.

Onboarding and getting everyone up to speed is obviously important, but it's not just about teaching the newbies the ropes. You've gotta make sure everyone's got their own stuff to do, so it's fair and the work gets done right. If you don't, you'll have some peeps bored out of their minds and others drowning in work, which is a total no-go for team vibes.

For us, the struggle was real because I was basically the only one who could handle the training gig. My buddy, bless their heart, wasn't quite up to the task, which meant I had to juggle it all. This isn't ideal, because it puts a lot of pressure on me and might not give the new folks the best start.

So, trying to get a bunch of new hires up and running at the same time, especially with the situation we had, is like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. It's way better to add just one new person at a time, get them all cozy and confident, and then let them help out with the next round of newbies. That way, everyone learns and grows together, and you don't end up with any weak links in the chain.

Companies get all excited about growing super fast and hiring a ton of people, but that's like trying to build a house without a blueprint. It's bound to fall apart. What you really wanna do is take it slow, hire one dev at a time, and make sure they're fully ready to rock before you bring in the next one. That way, you build a solid team that actually works well together.

In the end, it's not about adding a bunch of bodies to the team as quickly as you can. It's about growing in a way that makes everyone stronger, smarter, and ready to tackle whatever comes next. Each new person should be like a Lego block that fits just right and helps build a cooler castle. Do it carefully, and you'll end up with a team that's unstoppable.