How to Lead a Video Production Team

Running a video business often begins with you doing everything yourself. You’re producing, editing, sending invoices, updating your website, and taking client calls. It’s manageable for a while, but sooner or later you hit a ceiling. You only have so many hours in the day, and the more successful you get, the more stretched you become.

At that point, the question is not just whether to bring in help, but how to lead the people you bring on board. And that’s a very different challenge.

This is where leadership comes in. For many of us, it is unfamiliar territory. You probably weren’t taught leadership at school. You may not have learned it from your parents. Books and courses can help, but the real lessons come from experience. From trial and error. From getting it wrong and adjusting.

Over more than two decades of running my video production company, I’ve made my share of mistakes and learned a lot about what it takes to be an effective leader. In this post, I’ll share the key lessons that will help you guide your team with clarity and confidence, whether you’re hiring your first contractor or managing staff.

Why Systems Lay the Foundation for Leadership

Before we get into leadership itself, it’s important to understand the role of systems. Good systems make it possible to deliver quality in every part of your business consistently: sales, marketing, production, and admin. They also make it possible to bring in help without creating chaos.

When your business relies entirely on you, it’s what’s known as key person dependency. If you get sick or take time off, everything grinds to a halt. Systems reduce that risk and allow others to step in and do things the way you want them done.

That’s why leadership and systems go hand in hand. Once you have systems in place, you can start building a team. And once you have a team, you need to learn how to lead them.

Creating and Communicating a Vision

The first responsibility of a leader is to create a compelling vision for the business. This means getting clear on why you’re running the company, what its purpose is, who you serve, and where you want to take things.

Your vision includes the culture of your business, the style, the personality, the brand. This will evolve over time, but the clearer you are, the easier it becomes to explain it to others in a way that inspires them.

When you can communicate a vision that feels authentic, the right people will want to be part of it. They’ll see it as an opportunity worth joining. You reinforce that vision through your website, your social media, your job ads, and most importantly, through your everyday interactions.

Making a Strong First Impression

When someone joins your team, even as a contractor, the first impression matters. If you communicate clearly and support them well, they’ll feel confident and positive about working with you.

Support means answering their questions, giving them straightforward systems and processes, and checking in with them as they settle in. Think of it as induction. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to help people find their feet quickly.

When someone starts with my business, their first week is devoted to induction. They learn the systems we use, where the best parking is, how to find good coffee nearby, and how we communicate with clients and each other. The aim is to make them feel comfortable and set up for success.

Leadership, Not Management

The word “boss” carries baggage. It suggests someone barking orders while everyone else follows. Even the word “management” feels dated. Who really wants to be managed?

Leadership is different. A leader sets the scene, explains the mission, and then supports the team to do their best work. Leadership is about equipping people with the tools, resources, and confidence to succeed.

If you’ve hired the right person for the right role, you usually don’t need to motivate them or apply pressure. Most people naturally want to do good work. They want to grow, to improve their skills, and to feel proud of what they contribute. A good leader helps make that possible.

Understanding Different Personalities

Not everyone works the same way. Some people are steady and consistent, like diesel engines. Others are more like sports cars, capable of producing something brilliant but less predictable.

Feedback styles also vary. Some people welcome it. Others find it confronting. Some thrive on praise. Others feel manipulated if they receive too much of it.

As a leader, your job is to read the person in front of you and adjust your approach. The goal is to bring out the best in them, not to force them into a mould that doesn’t fit.

Giving Feedback With Care

Creative work involves vulnerability. When someone edits a video or sets up a shoot, they’re putting part of themselves into the job. That makes feedback sensitive.

We live in a time where people generally feel more vulnerable. Economic, social, and political pressures, amplified by social media, create a sense of uncertainty. As a leader, you need to be aware of that and respond with empathy.

Building Goodwill

When you treat people with respect, when you listen and support them, you build goodwill. That goodwill pays off in the level of commitment your team has to the business. A job is always transactional to some degree. You’re paying money for work. But the best working relationships go beyond that. They become a form of partnership where you have each other’s backs.

Can You Be Friends With Your Staff?

This is a question that often comes up. My view is that you can’t truly be friends with your staff in the traditional sense. The power balance is too different. Friendship can make it harder to have tough conversations or make difficult decisions.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have close, supportive relationships. But always keep healthy boundaries.

The Best Employees Work With You, Not Just For You

The best team members don’t just do the job you assign. They help you improve the systems and processes. They bring ideas on how to do things better. They enjoy the independence to get on with their work, and they value the freedom to put their own stamp on it.

As a leader, that’s what you want: people who join you in building a stronger business.

When Great People Move On

There’s a hard truth about great employees. They often outgrow you, and eventually move on to new challenges.

Talented people want growth. They might want more responsibility, a bigger organisation, or even to start their own business.

As a leader, the best thing you can do is support them and wish them well.

Why Leadership Matters

Bringing people into your business isn’t easy. It can be stressful, and sometimes it feels like more trouble than it’s worth. But the benefits far outweigh the challenges.

There is no way I could have the business and the life I have today without learning how to lead a team. Leadership is what allows you to step back from doing everything yourself and build something sustainable.

If you want your business to grow beyond the limits of your own time and energy, leadership is the key.

Final Thoughts

Leading a team in a video production business is not about being a boss. It’s about creating a vision, supporting people with simple systems, giving feedback with care, and treating them with respect.

Do it well, and you’ll build goodwill, loyalty, and a team that helps you create better work and a stronger business.

If you’re ready to take this step, I can help. Whether you’re hiring your first contractor or growing a team of staff, I can support you to put the right foundations in place.

You’ll find all the details at www.ryanspanger.com.