Tools differ when you’re not managing Individual Contributors anymore
- Skip-level 1
- Coaching
- Mentoring
- Hand-holding
- Asking Questions (collect first)
- Constant feedback
- Related Note(s):
- Coaching mindset is even more crucial when managing managers than ICs;
- Positive reinforcement is a much better tool to guide managers;
- Asking for the time and format of the feedback is crucial. Just because they are managers doesn’t mean they can handle any type of feedback in any form
- While hand-holding, be aware of Hawthorne effect;
- Once the manager is in a more mature level, look for problems and goals to delegate;
- Managers are essentially mission leads. Ensure each team has a mission they follow;
- While hand-holding, don’t forget that accountability ≠ responsibility. Your direct reporting manager is responsible, you’re accountable.
- If you’re managing first-line managers, try leaning on them for operational topics.
