Success becomes more about mastering a few key skills: hiring exceptional leaders, building self-reliant teams, establishing a clear vision, and communicating well.
Julie Zhuo, author & VP of design, Facebook
People who master those skills will be well-equipped to lead teams of any size.
Takeaways of Note:
5 most striking contrasts between leading small & large teams:
1- Direct to Indirect Management – you can’t be in all the details. Decisions will be made without your input, and things will be done differently than how you might personally do them… find the right balance between going deep on a topic & trusting others to take care of it.
2- People Treat You Differently – when you’re not as well-known and in a position of authority, people may be less likely to speak truth and challenge you when they think you’re wrong… to mitigate, (a) Emphasize that you welcome dissenting opinions & reward those who express them, (b) Own your mistakes & remind team that you are human, (c) Use language that invites discussion
3- Context Switching, All Day, Every Day – with a dozen different issues to work through at any given time and back-to-back meetings, must immediately shed the past discussion & mentally prepare for the next one… few helpful techniques: scan through calendar every morning & prep for each meeting, (b) develop robust note-taking & task-management, (c) find pockets for reflection
4- Pick & Choose Your Battles – can’t do everything, so must prioritize. What are the most important topics to pay attention to, and where are you going to draw the line? Perfectionism is not an option.
5- People-Centric Skills Matter Most – at higher levels of management, the job starts to converge regardless of background. Success becomes more about: (a) hiring exceptional leaders, (b) building self-reliant teams, (d) establishing a clear vision, and (d) communicating well.