BravadoMod

War Room Moderator

Help Bravado Help Aspiring Managers

Hey Savages, we’re looking for more ways to help aspiring managers make the - daunting - jump from individual contributor work to: management.

Current managers: what were the biggest challenges you faced on the way into a management role? What helped you get through it?

Please share your enticing anecdotes, snags and snares... We would LOVE to hear about them!

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Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

1) As a Manager, you have to manage a team - but also the ones above you (your boss / their boss / etc).

2) Lot of operational tasks would come your way. Don't be dismissive about them. Do it with pride instead.

3) Keeping the lights on is both a KRA and a challenge.

4) You're not responsible for quota. You're responsible for people who're responsible for quota.

5) Team runs on trust, as much on skill. They won't trust you if you don't have their back. They won't trust you if you don't allow them to throw you under the bus.

6) Don't be, please don't be, a dashboard manager. Your core KRA is to remove any and every obstacle from your team's way to success.

7) Most people don't need to be managed. But listened to. If they don't feel they're heard, it ain't gonna work.

8) Each member would understand a different language. Never use a 1 strategy fit all, just because it's easier for you to manage.

9) If you have freshers in your team, when they think of your <company name>, they think of <you>. You're their universe. Something to remember by perhaps.

10) If you have to shout or bark to get the job done, you're doing it wrong.

saasbaby

Politicker

SDR

For #5, what do you mean by "They won't trust you if you don't allow them to throw you under the bus."?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I'm going to believe that it means the manager can be used as the excuse for why things have to be a certain way. "I'm sorry, I went to my VP, and we've cut all we can from this deal." But then, it's an excellent list IMO, and AgastyaAdams can chime in.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

Exactly what @Sunbunny31said. Use me as an excuse, take my name, but get the shit done.

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

I completely agree with point #2.

I have found that when I approach tasks positively and with the intent to complete them successfully, I always have a solid and positive result.

Do I agree with it? Meh....
Do I care about it? Meh....
But somebody else does and they didn't ask me these questions. So LOL!

SADNES5

Politicker

down voters are marketing spies

The boss doesn't drink with the team. Go have a beer at an event or function and then leave. Maybe pay for a round. Let them gossip and get tighter as a group.

Trust.
You hired them to get the job done.

Hire/Fire fast. You'll know after about 3 weeks if they are a good fit. If not, let them go quickly. Same with hiring - if everything feels right get them onboard fast. It should not take a month. Remove the 20 levels of approval. Ask for the ability to hire as near as on the spot as possible.

Be critical but not cruel. If something is not up to standard let it be known as fast as possible and in private.

Check in, be a leader. Check in minimum bi-weekly. Ask about road blocks that you can navigate so the team can do what they do best. Your job is to navigate the politics.

It's better to have a team of 80% performance than a team of 1 100% asshole/toxic performer and the rest 80%. Get rid of toxic folks no matter their metrics. Your people matter.

Take a chance. Sometimes people don't check all the resume boxes but you feel they have drive/hunger/not an asshole. If they have a certain something that impressed you - likely they'll be able to do the same with clients.

Gasty

Notable Contributor

War Room Community Manager

Excellent points. Especially the last one

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Ooh I like this - great idea.

nomdeguerre

Executive

Account executive

Co-founder of MCI Bill McGowan’s 4 points: 1. Focus on priorities 2. Communicate up and down the organization 3. Act quickly even if it is risky 4. Treat technology as a slave and treat people as royalty.

Mr.Pickles

Arsonist

Sr. Customer Success Manager

Catching up here. Something additional after reading the comments.

The team runs on three core values: loyalty, trust, and respect. When you don't trust, micromanagement comes into place. No loyalty? no progress. No respect, no nothing.

1. Trust but Validate - kinda self-explanatory.

2. Give the benefit of the doubt - Make sure to be critical and objective when delivering feedback, some bad behaviors come from the best intentions and can be coached.

3. Never stick your dick in the payroll - Just refrain. This will take away all the respect and credibility. If you're looking for a long-lasting team relationship, never get drunk with the team, pose for a picture and then leave.

4. Congratulate in public and hold accountability in private.

5. Top performers do need coaching - Even doctors get sick, so make sure to keep enabling your top performers so they become champions of best practices. This will help to plant the seed of peak performance.

6. When in doubt, reach out - It's okay to not know the answers. Don't get caught on your BS - your team will look up to you as their main source of truth, so it's ok to say: "I don't know the answer for that yet, so let me check with X and get back to you".

7. Delegating it's ok. Trueleadership comes from elevating your team. Empower, trust, validate and congratulate.

8. It's better to have 80% of something than 100% of nothing - Having a perfect team where everyone is a top performer it's ideal but unreal. Build a coaching plan accordingly and execute it to consistently bring results.

9. Management cannot be done from a desk / Lead by the example - Get involved with your team, be their mental image of "how good looks like". Invest time listening, especially during the 1:1s sessions. I have seen that 1:1s became work-oriented rather than professional development centered.

10. Respect everyone's time. Never call after hours. If you can't accomplish the goals from 8-5 then time management is something to self-assess.

11. Devil's on the details -Show genuine interest in their passions, what's their pet's name? how did that special dinner go? Again - the devil's on the details and sharing quality time during the 1:1s will be the difference between a good manager and a great manager.

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Help Bravado Help Aspiring Managers

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