What I Have Learnt From Leading Small Teams

I have been leading small 5-7 members teams for the last few years. One thing I have always tried to ensure is keeping team size small and the level of quality high. I believe in developing high-performing small teams that can execute fast with limited resources. I have made a lot of mistakes as a manager, learned from those, and figured out best practices that work for me. Today’s newsletter is about key principles based on which I manage my teams.

Energy and clarity are non-negotiable

I learned this from an interview of Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadela. The first step in building a great team is to hire the right people. It’s essential to look for individuals who bring energy and clarity to the table. Energy ensures that they are enthusiastic about their work and can inspire others. Clarity in communication ensures that everyone is on the same page, and there is no confusion about goals and expectations. I have always believed the most important step to bring order in chaos is to establish clarity. Assemble people who can do that.

Be clear about everyone’s responsibility

Some managers hire for future thinking needs will arise and sometimes sacrifice the present for this. I am dead against such moves, especially in resource-constrained situations. I prioritize hiring and keeping teammates who have a clear set of responsibilities. It is essential to ensure everyone inside the team has full clarity on everyone’s responsibility so that the machine can move seamlessly. So I always suggest having clearly defined roles and responsibilities of each team member, so that everyone knows what is expected of them. Excellence demands clarity in every way, every day.

Process is your best friend

That boring SOP is going to help you win the war. Process is the foundation on which you build your team and your business. Having a well-defined and documented process ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal, and there is no confusion about what needs to be done. Spend a significant amount of time to find out the best practice and document it. Regularly review and update the moment you find a better way of doing things.

Two is one and one is none

I learned this from Jocko Willink. The saying "two is one and one is none" emphasizes the importance of having a backup plan. When managing a small team, it is important to have backup plans in place for critical tasks or processes. This ensures that if one person is unavailable/unable to complete a task, someone else can step in and complete it. It’s great that one person specializes in a certain role but there should always be someone who has a working knowledge of the specialist’s work. You never know what will strike you suddenly. Always be ready.

Be the archer, not the arrow

There is a quote, “A great manager works on the machine, not in the machine.” As a manager your job is to set the direction, not carrying them to the destination. You are a manager, not a babysitter.? Avoid micromanaging your team and trust them to do their jobs. Provide guidance and support when needed, but let your team members take ownership of their tasks.

Don’t tell, show

When managing a small team, it is important to lead by example. Want your teammates to show up on time? You should be on time every day. Want them to go above and beyond? You should go above and beyond every day. That’s how you set the tone. Your motivational words mean nothing if your action doesn’t follow your word. Setting an example by the leader helps in building trust and confidence among team members and creates a positive work environment.

Acknowledge and empower

We all are aware of the popular saying, “Catch them when they are good.” Acknowledging the efforts of your team members is essential to build confidence and enforce positive behavior in them. Celebrate their successes and recognize their contributions regularly. I am not telling you to financially reward them every time they do something great. I mean you should make them feel valued through your words and behaviors. Empower them by giving them the tools and resources they need to do their jobs effectively. This helps in building a motivated and engaged team that is committed to achieving its goals.

Make sure you are fair

Ambitious and talented people don’t want your favor, they want you to be fair. If you want to build a high-performing team, you need to establish yourself as a fair and worthy leader first. Don’t compromise on fairness no matter what happens. The day you compromise is the day you shrink the soul of the team you are building. That is a price you can’t afford to pay.

Being a leader isn’t just about big visions and motivations. It’s also about doing the small things- the small talk when your teammates feel down, the pat on the back when they do something great, and the deep commitment to excellence yet kindness in the process of bringing the best out of them. These worked for me. Hope you can find some of these useful too.