I was a lousy manager. I want to talk about my top 6 mistakes here.
These are also the mistakes that most of us starting on the managerial path make, and hence I hope some of the readers will learn from my mistakes and avoid making them on their own.
#management #jeetkagyan
These are also the mistakes that most of us starting on the managerial path make, and hence I hope some of the readers will learn from my mistakes and avoid making them on their own.
#management #jeetkagyan
ℹ️ Not giving critical feedback properly
I managed a small team and project; I was not happy with some of the crashes we saw in production. I reviewed the code for this product and found several glaring mistakes. I blasted the developer in front of everyone.
I managed a small team and project; I was not happy with some of the crashes we saw in production. I reviewed the code for this product and found several glaring mistakes. I blasted the developer in front of everyone.
ℹ️ Not giving critical feedback properly
Years later, one of the team members became friends and told me it was her first day, and she was petrified of me, and her focus was on avoiding mistakes instead of creating innovative products.
Years later, one of the team members became friends and told me it was her first day, and she was petrified of me, and her focus was on avoiding mistakes instead of creating innovative products.
ℹ️ Not giving critical feedback properly
If you have heard of the term manager from hell, this was an excellent way to describe me at this point. It didn't help me, my team, or the person receiving feedback. I am not proud of the behavior I displayed.
If you have heard of the term manager from hell, this was an excellent way to describe me at this point. It didn't help me, my team, or the person receiving feedback. I am not proud of the behavior I displayed.
ℹ️ Not giving critical feedback properly
In most cases, I now praise in public and give critical feedback in private. I also ensure that my feedback would benefit the recipient.
In most cases, I now praise in public and give critical feedback in private. I also ensure that my feedback would benefit the recipient.
🤝 Not doing 1-on-1s
I didn't do 1-on-1s with my direct reports till I got a manager who did goal-setting discussions every quarter and met me to discuss my goals (even outside work). I still remember telling him I wanted to start learning Python (I was deep into C++).
I didn't do 1-on-1s with my direct reports till I got a manager who did goal-setting discussions every quarter and met me to discuss my goals (even outside work). I still remember telling him I wanted to start learning Python (I was deep into C++).
🤝 Not doing 1-on-1s
I started doing 1-on-1s seriously only in 2013 and learned more about the sessions from founders who believed in the power of 1-on-1s. When I look back, I can't understand how I managed any people without meeting them regularly and understanding them deeper.
I started doing 1-on-1s seriously only in 2013 and learned more about the sessions from founders who believed in the power of 1-on-1s. When I look back, I can't understand how I managed any people without meeting them regularly and understanding them deeper.
🤝 Not doing 1-on-1s
1-on-1s have helped me understand what bothers my teammates the most; many of these insights have helped me push for different policies at the workplace. They have helped me connect with my team better at a personal level too.
1-on-1s have helped me understand what bothers my teammates the most; many of these insights have helped me push for different policies at the workplace. They have helped me connect with my team better at a personal level too.
🤝 Not doing 1-on-1s
Some of my friends maintain a shared document for 1-on-1s. I don't do this yet. I keep private notes around feedback that I have given and received in these 1-on-1s. I recommend this for all managers.
Some of my friends maintain a shared document for 1-on-1s. I don't do this yet. I keep private notes around feedback that I have given and received in these 1-on-1s. I recommend this for all managers.
💼 Not delegating
I think I got over this one very quickly, but I did walk into my CEO's office to complain about getting a lot of juniors to mentor when I had a lot of work myself.
I think I got over this one very quickly, but I did walk into my CEO's office to complain about getting a lot of juniors to mentor when I had a lot of work myself.
💼 Not delegating
This CEO patiently explained the virtues of delegating, leverage, and how each of these bright engineers will contribute as much as me within six months. The best work for me was to make sure these engineers get mentorship and challenging tasks.
This CEO patiently explained the virtues of delegating, leverage, and how each of these bright engineers will contribute as much as me within six months. The best work for me was to make sure these engineers get mentorship and challenging tasks.
💼 Not delegating
A lot of management gurus talk about becoming redundant. I knew about the concept but didn't appreciate or implement it. I failed to recognize and groom my next in line and often could not ensure that more people combined in the team could fill my role.
A lot of management gurus talk about becoming redundant. I knew about the concept but didn't appreciate or implement it. I failed to recognize and groom my next in line and often could not ensure that more people combined in the team could fill my role.
💼 Not delegating
I contributed to coding, planning, and execution with my future teams, but I made sure I was not the bottleneck because I didn't trust my team.
I contributed to coding, planning, and execution with my future teams, but I made sure I was not the bottleneck because I didn't trust my team.
📢 Not communicating and documenting enough
I think this is where I still drop the ball sometimes. Assuming everyone is on the same page and that all the information is read and understood is a recurring mistake.
I think this is where I still drop the ball sometimes. Assuming everyone is on the same page and that all the information is read and understood is a recurring mistake.
📢 Not communicating and documenting enough
When I am working on a specific problem, and I have a lot of context about this problem, but my team members don't have the same context. I need to articulate the context before looking for opinions, and solutions from my team.
When I am working on a specific problem, and I have a lot of context about this problem, but my team members don't have the same context. I need to articulate the context before looking for opinions, and solutions from my team.
📢 Not communicating and documenting enough
I have since fallen in love with documenting design decisions and creating detailed engineering proposals. I still falter on both these points, but I am only a manager.
I have since fallen in love with documenting design decisions and creating detailed engineering proposals. I still falter on both these points, but I am only a manager.
😖 Failing at pressure management
For the most prolonged period, I failed at pressure management for my team. I worked long hours, and my team thought they should be doing the same.
For the most prolonged period, I failed at pressure management for my team. I worked long hours, and my team thought they should be doing the same.
😖 Failing at pressure management
Everyone in my team should believe they have the flexibility to choose their work hours. I did not realize that my works hours influenced them and formed wrong expectations.
Everyone in my team should believe they have the flexibility to choose their work hours. I did not realize that my works hours influenced them and formed wrong expectations.
😖 Failing at pressure management
While this was a direct pressure from me to my team, I also failed at moderating pressure from above. I often transferred communication and stress from the top to my team in the interest of transparency and team alignment.
While this was a direct pressure from me to my team, I also failed at moderating pressure from above. I often transferred communication and stress from the top to my team in the interest of transparency and team alignment.
😖 Failing at pressure management
I learned relatively late that I should be saying no to a whole lot of asks. I also didn't realize that new changes should be discussed and prioritized, and what gets sacrificed when we add new things is essential.
I learned relatively late that I should be saying no to a whole lot of asks. I also didn't realize that new changes should be discussed and prioritized, and what gets sacrificed when we add new things is essential.
📞 Incorrect form of communication
The propensity to speak a lot meant I talked more and did not listen enough. Only when I started working with colleagues who could understand people much better in interviews and short meetings, I realize I was doing something wrong.
The propensity to speak a lot meant I talked more and did not listen enough. Only when I started working with colleagues who could understand people much better in interviews and short meetings, I realize I was doing something wrong.
📞 Incorrect form of communication
While I still get into "communication is speaking" mode, I actively listen to my team members in 1-on-1s and other settings.
While I still get into "communication is speaking" mode, I actively listen to my team members in 1-on-1s and other settings.
A big thank you to @amukho and @LeadbySTL for giving me a ready list of the most common mistakes Arindam has seen managers make. I seem to have made more mistakes than he expected.
In Arindam's session, he asked us about mistakes as a manager, and I thought I had made all the possible mistakes as a people manager. I am still making mistakes and learning from them every day.
If you are starting your managerial journey, I hope you learn from my mistakes and be a better manager for your team than I was at the beginning of my career.
#jeetkagyan
#jeetkagyan
Follow me @jiten for more threads on startups, learning, coding, and product. I regularly write about mobile and web development.
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