How can you empower your team when scaling your startup?

Ask your team - How can I enable you better - What do you need from me - What can I improve on - Keep sharing your ideas - Give me feedback on myself as a founder

As well as shared identity and direction, shared vision is important. If your company is a tunnel, then a shared vision is the light at the end of it.

First and foremost make sure you hired people who have the passion, zeal and commitment to get things done. These are the 5 mantras for a great startup team, check their degree of - 1. Passion towards the sector 2. Understanding of the function 3. Attitude towards work 4. Collaboration in team 5. Hustle Build a set of organisational OKRs and empower them with the above 5 things in mind to get things done. For a regular feedback have your micro macro town halls and 121 sessions to understand the pain points and roadblocks. Finally, give them a reason to believe with the vision of the company for a greater good.

Empowerment Drives Innovation! ???? I'd treat empowering a team during startup scaling like optimizing a complex engineering system. First, define your values and purpose, setting a clear direction like a project blueprint. Delegate and trust, akin to distributing tasks in a system's components. Encourage collaboration and learning, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Recognize and reward efforts, similar to validating a system's success. Support and develop individual talents, as in enhancing system capabilities. Involve and listen, ensuring feedback-driven adaptation.

Here are some concise ways to empower your team while scaling up: - Set Clear Communication: Foster transparent communication channels to keep everyone aligned. - Delegate with Trust: Empower team members by delegating responsibilities and trusting them to take ownership. - Invest in Development: Provide opportunities for skill development and continuous learning - Recognition and Feedback: Regularly acknowledge achievements and provide constructive feedback - Cultivate a Positive Culture: Foster a positive and inclusive workplace culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, and a sense of belonging.

Aus meiner pers?nlichen Startup-Erfahrung heraus betone ich die Wichtigkeit der Integration von Mitarbeitenden, die eigenst?ndig und verantwortungsvoll handeln k?nnen. Insbesondere in den frühen Phasen eines Startups fehlt die Zeit für umfassende Schulungen. Daher ist es entscheidend, neue Teammitglieder schnell einzubinden und ihnen Aufgaben zu übertragen, die sie eigenst?ndig bew?ltigen k?nnen. Dies sollte bereits im Bewerbungsprozess kommuniziert werden, um Vertrauen zu schaffen und zu f?rdern. Ein solches Vorgehen führt dazu, dass das Team zu einem produktiven und kreativen Kollektiv heranw?chst, in dem jeder auf Augenh?he kommuniziert und Vertrauen genie?t.

Delegation doesn't necessarily mean full autonomy. At the early stages (< 30 employees), it doesn't make sense to develop a concrete leveling system but as a founder or early employee, chances are you'll have met, interviewed, or worked directly with everyone on the team. Delegation is key if you want things done efficiently and effectively because no matter how amazing one person is at the task at hand, if their time can be better spent on higher leverage tasks, it's wasted if the focus is split. Delegation does not mean hand off and wipe your hands clean. Delegation DOES mean, trust your team to get things done and create an environment where they feel comfortable coming back to you in case support is necessary.

Delegation is important as you grow your startup. Trust your team and let them make their own decisions which will boost their confidence and help them grow as well. A sense of ownership can only be achieved when you trust your team to make the decisions, mentoring and supporting them instead of making decisions for them.

Empowering your team during the scaling of your startup revolves around effectively delegating trust. Start by identifying each team member’s strengths and aligning their responsibilities with their skill sets. Provide clear, achievable goals and the necessary resources for them to succeed. Trust your team by giving them autonomy in their tasks and decision-making processes, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. Offer regular feedback and recognition to reinforce their confidence and competence. Encourage open communication and a culture of collaboration, allowing team members to share ideas and solutions. By demonstrating trust, you build a motivated and empowered team capable of driving your startup’s growth.

A medida que las startups escalan, los fundadores deben resistir el impulso de micro-gestionar y en cambio empoderar al equipo delegando ownership con autonomía real; por ejemplo, el CEO de una startup de educación que asesoré otorgó a los líderes de producto autoridad para tomar decisiones sobre mejoras incrementales a la plataforma edtech sin chequeos previos. Esto aceleró el ritmo de implementación de nuevas funcionalidades al tiempo que incrementó la confianza y el compromiso de los colaboradores al sentirse facultados para crear valor directo para los estudiantes. Soltar el control centraliza visión estratégica al tiempo que descentraliza capacidad de ejecución ágil.

Ein gemeinsames Zusammenarbeiten und Lernen ist schwierig, wenn KollegInnen nicht auf Augenh?he kommunizieren. Entsprechend ist es wichtig, eine Umgebung zu schaffen, in der das Team sich gut versteht, gerne miteinander arbeitet und sowohl kreativ, als auch produktiv sein kann. Die Kultur im Unternehmen spielt deshalb eine sehr gro?e Rolle, wenn Zusammenarbeit und Lernen gut funktionieren soll. Auch spielerisches Lernen und gegenseitig Unterstützung funktionieren in einem Team, welches sich respektiert und füreinander da ist, besser, als bei sehr distanzierten Umfeldern. Die Erfahrung zeigt, dass auch spezielle Termine und Prozesse, wie ein "Ideen-Frühstück" die Zusammenarbeit und das Lernen f?rdern k?nnen.

Encourage Autonomy: Trust your team to make decisions within their scope of responsibility. Encourage them to take ownership of their work, make decisions, and solve problems independently. Micromanagement can stifle creativity and productivity.

Encourage Autonomy: Trust your team to make decisions within their scope of responsibility. Encourage them to take ownership of their work, make decisions, and solve problems independently. Micromanagement can stifle creativity and productivity.

Success often comes through collaboration. The best companies in the world understand this. Take Nike as an example, whose founder, Phil Knight used collaboration to come up with the its eventual name which was changed from ‘Blue Ribbon’. Phil trusted his team as you should to collaborate and learn from one another. As long as you can create an amazing team, who value and trust each other’s opinions, then encouraging a free exchange of ideas shall pay dividends.

A book club is a simple way to encourage learning. Ask the team to propose books or topics that they want to learn about. Agree on a book that all in the team will read. It can also work with podcasts. Meet regularly to discuss what you have learned and what could be applied in the everyday work.

Anerkennung ist ein der wertvollsten Methoden, seinem Team etwas zurückzugeben. Vielen ist wichtig, dass die eigene Arbeit wertgesch?tzt wird und auch für das Unternehmen wichtig ist (einen Impact/ Wert erzeugt). Diese Anerkennung und Wertsch?tzung beginnt bei einem einfachen "Bitte und Danke" und kann natürlich über spezielle Gratifikationen, Belohnungen oder Boni erh?ht werden. Wichtiger als eine Belohnung sehe ich erfahrungsgem?? aber eine ehrliche Kommunikation und ausgesprochene Dankbarkeit.

Make a practice of having team members do a "show and tell" at company-wide town halls. It'll create opportunities for recognition, help colleagues understand what others are working on, and spark new ideas. And for those who may be more shy in voicing their accomplishments, celebrating even the smaller, more experimental efforts creates an environment where it's encouraged to take risks.

Como consultor, considero que mucho del éxito a largo plazo de cualquier startup depende de construir una cultura enfocada en potenciar el crecimiento y el bienestar de sus colaboradores. Y el reconocimiento genuino es una palanca clave. Por ejemplo, una startup edtech que asesoré implementó un programa de premios mensuales donde diferentes equipos nominaban colegas que ejemplificaban los valores centrales (creatividad, orientación al alumno, trabajo en equipo). Esto movilizaba apreciación entre pares por contribuciones extraordinarias, más allá de los logros habituales. Este simple acto de celebración visible de comportamientos positivos reforzaba constantemente la cultura, al tiempo que mejoraba la satisfacción y el sentido de propósito.

Recognizing and rewarding achievements doesn't always have to be grand or financial. For instance, a public shoutout during a team meeting for a project well-executed can go a long way. This serves dual purposes: it acknowledges the individual's hard work and sets a positive example for what is valued within the team. The key is to make the recognition timely and specific, so its impact is immediate and resonates with the team member's own sense of accomplishment.

Celebrating your team will help them to feel valued. Whether that is posting on Linkedin or toasting them in the office, both are pretty simple tools in your arsenal. Having said that, whilst cool perks and shout outs are great, remuneration is always going to be better. Therefore, be sure to also give tangible rewards such as bonuses so they really have the best of both worlds. Do not be so naive and egotistical when it comes to rewarding - if a key member is unhappy, they will leave, and as a leader that is on you to avoid. Take ownership of your responsibility to keep key people happy and be prepared to recognize and reward.

Give people autonomy and space to grow and learn in your company. If you are a startup, you want each employee to act like an entrepreneur in the early days. They should feel responsible for the success and failure of the specific objectives of their role. Create a culture where people understand that your goal is to 100x the business and show that you understand that it doesn't matter if you fail 10 times as long as the 11th time you gets a 100x result. Don't make people feel like they will be fired if they fail, this kills the inherent advantage that you have as a startup that can move quick and break rules.

Investing in your team's growth isn't just about formal training programs or promotions. Sometimes, encouraging an open dialogue about career aspirations and providing project opportunities that align with individual skills or interests can make a difference. For example, if someone on your team has a knack for data analysis but is currently in a different role, offering them the chance to contribute to a data-centric project could be invaluable for their personal development and beneficial for the startup. It’s a win-win: the employee feels valued and grows professionally, while the startup gains from specialized contributions.

When there's a need for hands on deck, remember the "harvest curse" - ALL hands are needed. If you back off or doubt yourself during that time, no one else will have the motivation to push forward either.

Um dos fatores que mais limita o crescimento de uma startup é que o time n?o cresceu no ritmo que a startup precisava. Por isso, as pessoas precisam ser muito inspiradas em quererem se desenvolver para gerar mais impacto e crescer profissionalmente. Respeitando como cada um aprende mais, variando nos formatos, é necessário ter sempre clareza e compartilhar a vis?o de onde estamos indo, como estamos em rela??o a esse plano de forma periódica e quais s?o as oportunidades existentes que ainda podemos explorar!

- Invest in your team’s well-being and happiness by offering support mechanisms like coaching, mentoring, or counseling to help them manage stress and uncertainty. - Provide opportunities for professional growth through training programs, educational resources, and clear pathways for career advancement. - Foster a supportive environment where team members feel comfortable seeking help and discussing challenges. - Encourage continuous skill development to keep your team’s knowledge and abilities up-to-date and relevant. - Promote internal career growth by recognizing potential and providing opportunities for promotion, ensuring your team feels valued and motivated to stay committed.

Empower your scaling startup by fostering a collaborative environment where you involve your team in decision-making, actively listen to their ideas and concerns, invest in their professional development, and celebrate both individual and collective achievements. This approach fosters a sense of ownership, fuels innovation, and propels your team and your business forward.

It’s key to have the right people in the right seat. You need to make sure that people fit your values and the way you want to run the company. Also, you have to make sure that they are in the position they can shine in. Once you hired the right people, go out of their way and coach them. Give feedback, but don’t take on their work.

The notion of a "feedback loop" is crucial here. It's not just about gathering opinions but also acting on them and communicating back. For example, holding a monthly "town-hall" meeting where the team can present their ideas and see how their past suggestions have been implemented can be highly empowering. This transparent approach fosters a culture where team members feel like contributors to the company’s growth, rather than just executors of tasks. It's a powerful way to keep everyone aligned and engaged, enhancing the overall quality and culture as the startup scales.

Engaging and listening to your team is critical for startup success. The early days of Airbnb serve as an example of this. Co-founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia engaged their team in decision-making, building a collaborative culture. When faced with a crucial issue, they listened to employee feedback, resulting in the establishment of Airbnb's signature "host guarantee," which increased trust and growth. This approach not only empowered their team, but also helped Airbnb establish itself as a trustworthy brand in the sharing economy.

- Solicit input and ideas from all levels of the business - Implement employee feedback systems/loops - Act on the feedback you receive to show you value their opinions

I think we get it wrong when we, (as managers or leaders), think that empowerment comes from us. People work isn’t always just about the people. It’s about creating conditions for agency and accountability to flow in your organization. Great cultures are when employees are so clear on what’s negotiable and non-negotiable that they feel empowerment that results in agency. Agency to take initiative, drive change, or even something as simple as offer a difference in opinion so a group of people can get clarity on their shared mission or goal. If we align company philosophies, policies and systems it creates the conditions for agency which results in more intellectually honest perspectives from empowered employees.

Empowering your team makes your life easier. This includes delegating duties and responsibilities. Why struggle to get a work done when you have someone in the team who might be able to do the job better ??

The best way to empower the team when growing is hiring new people for junior positions, paid interns and assistants who could help key team members to get rid of the time consuming tasks and delegate, so that they could keep focus on growth and build processes to support the scaling. Another way to empower them is integrate some tools that could automate the certain areas of work.

One of the best tools I've used throughout my career to empower teams is to keep organizational structures as flat as possible, while maintaining the required structure to ensure a solid foundation for growth is being built. Flatter organizational structures lead to more end-to-end ownership of tasks and deliverables and this often leads to better user experices. A great example exists in SaaS verticals where it seems to take 2-4 calls just to be able to get enough information on a product to make a buying decision. As a purchaser, I often find myself having to repeat subtleties of my requirements that previous sales team members simply didn't prioritize recording.

If your idea is as popular as Tandoori Chicken in Punjab but still ain't gaining traction, it might be time to rethink. When your bank balance resembles a flat naan, and investors are giving you the cold shoulder, it's time to spice things up or switch dishes. If your product is as out of place as a vada in a biryani, maybe it's not the right fit for the market. if your team's spice levels are off the charts (and not in a good way), and there's more drama than a Bollywood blockbuster, it's time for a reality check. If the passion for your startup has fizzled out faster than a roadside soda, maybe it's time to explore new culinary adventures. Simply either pivot or start something new.