10 Tips to Navigating Management Like a Pro

Navigating the high stakes of effective management can be a complex endeavor, but with the right strategies and a clear roadmap, you can master it like a pro.?

As a people leader in the startup space, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to help guide several companies that had to grow fast to succeed. Through those experiences, I’ve seen the measurable impact great managers can make toward achieving company goals. Here are ten tips I share with my own team that may be helpful to you, as well.?

Feel free to use the graphic and incorporate it into your own company communications!

1. Create Your Strategy

Create a clear and well-defined strategy. Start by outlining what success looks like at your company. This involves translating your overarching goals into specific, actionable steps, starting with the destination and working backwards.?

At my company Relay Payments , our co-founders Ryan Droege and Spencer Barkoff have excelled at this. We have the exact same, unwavering, company vision today that we had when we launched over five years ago. If you can tell your people where you want to go, they’re much more likely to enthusiastically join you on the journey.

2. Communicate The Strategy

Once you've crafted your strategy, the next step is to communicate it. Keep your team informed about any changes, welcome their input, and ensure everyone knows what to do and why it matters for the success you hope to achieve.

At Relay, we conduct quarterly rallies to roll out our goals, follow-up with biweekly check-ins to address issues and blockers, and share updates monthly to monitor our progress. The key here is consistent communication. You can never over-communicate your strategy. Remember, it may take time for it to click for every team member, so share your message early and often.

3. Secure the Necessary Resources

As a manager, it's your responsibility to ensure your team has what they need, including equipment, budget, tools, data, access to customers, and time with YOU. Your role is to clear hurdles so your team can do the work. If you face budget constraints, acknowledge deficiencies, encourage creativity, and seek alternative solutions to keep the team's path obstacle-free, essential for productivity.

4. Hire the Right People to Execute Your Strategy

It’s essential to have the right people in the right roles. To understand who those people are, you first need to define the problem you’re solving, along with the skills and experience needed to solve it. Write the job description based on that – and THEN identify the title. (Most companies make the mistake of starting with the title which is often nuanced from company to company).

If you get into the interview process and the candidates aren’t the right fit, give yourself permission to revisit the description and refine it — rather than settle.

If you find someone you think is a star, but they don’t exactly meet the need – be very, very clear about the expectations of the role, or create something new opportunistically if that’s an option. It’s a risk that could result in an expensive mismatch otherwise. In fact, even in situations where there’s obvious role and skill alignment, you should still be crystal clear about expectations. Create a "day in the life" or a 90-day plan. This will help both you and the candidate visualize what the role requires.

5. Train and Coach New Hires

Proper onboarding should be a very high priority. In fact, it's one of the first things I advise leadership teams to commit to. Every company should create a comprehensive onboarding program that covers (at a minimum) your company's history, vision, your value proposition, values, culture, product roadmap, and customer experience.?

Assign buddies to new hires to help them feel connected and welcomed. I believe strongly that you should onboard the same way you recruit -- put your best foot forward and connect as much as you can in those early days to ensure high engagement and rapid assimilation.

6. Put a Process in Place to Drive High Performance?

Set the stage for high performance by establishing measurable goals and clearly defined outcomes. Delegate responsibilities clearly, monitor performance, and maintain regular communication with your team. Conduct weekly one-on-ones to stay connected and so you can clear blockers. Don't forget to seek cross-functional feedback to ensure you're receiving input from stakeholders who rely on your team's performance. When you identify areas that need improvement, address them promptly.

7. Be Self-Aware: Prioritize Personal Development

Being a self-aware manager can be a game changer. It's humanizing to be vulnerable and helps build trust with your team, so get mentorship or coaching if you need it. (Pro tip: almost everyone needs it.)?

To be self-aware means you know your strengths, acknowledge weaknesses, and are willing to work to improve. Learn how to actively listen, empathize, motivate, make decisions, and give and receive feedback, and your team will quickly learn to respect and trust you. Plus, they’ll be motivated to work hard for you. Building trust and a psychologically safe environment will be key to your success.

8. Motivate Your Team and Maintain High Morale

To sustain momentum and performance over the long haul, you must find meaningful ways to motivate and recognize your team. ?

Baseline, set goals that are ambitious, yet achievable, to sustain pride. Celebrate all the wins – no matter how small – to sustain morale. Find ways to recognize individual contribution so no one feels lost in the shuffle. Look for opportunities both formal and informal to create team connection. (The team that’s invested in each other will be more attached to the company and its success.) And, of course,? make sure your team members are incentivized appropriately for their role/work.?

9. Plan for the Future: Anticipate Opportunities

As a manager, it's crucial to be forward-thinking, to solve today’s problems with an eye on the future and to anticipate opportunities that your team can leverage.?

If you stay on top of industry trends and keep connected with colleagues across the company and to experts in your space, you’ll be able to see the bigger picture. When you prepare for the future you create a more stable and less stressful environment for your team to do their best work.

10. Contribute to the Culture: Be the Role Model

Culture is the essence of your company. It's not just about what you do but how you do it. As a manager, your behavior sets the tone for how your team sees and experiences the culture. Embody the company’s values in your actions and interactions and celebrate others when they exemplify them.?

Conclusion

As you navigate management like a pro, keep in mind that while these tips provide a roadmap, flexibility is key. Adapt them to your unique situation and meet your team members where they are. Management isn’t a one-size-fits all prescription.?

Remember – it isn’t just about achieving goals; it's about fostering a supportive and thriving environment that pushes everyone to do their best work, engage, and grow!?