9 things I wish my MBA taught me about leading teams

Once upon a time, I stepped into my biggest people leadership role.

15 people.

15 good people.

15 ambitious people.

They scared me a little. In a good a way.

But they were culturally stagnating and emotionally tired. And that made them a little feisty.

Simultaneous, I got chucked into some complex problems, both technically and politically challenging, in a new company(bonus roll). Also, board deck season, so high standards and high cadence with no room for error. Plus, new industry, so fun. And, I had a performance (ego/narcissism) issue on the team.

An intense start to say the least.

I’m on the other side of some sticky challenges with a lot more to come. Many times I felt like throwing in the towel. Just walking away, taking a nice mental health break preferably at a spa somewhere, having a cuppa tea and coming back once everything resolved itself.

Or minting some NFTs as a back up plan. Because, well, it’s 2021 so why not.

But I didn’t.

I kept coming back.

Like an annoying rash.

Here’s what I learned.

8 things I wish my MBA taught me about leading teams

1. It’s not your fault. It’s easy to get carried away taking all the responsobility for how things are running. It’s not always healthy. Any team dynamics, positive or negative, which exist 3 months into you joining are signs of things that came before. It’s not you. Yes, you have to deal with them, but you didn’t create them. And, sadly, in most cases, you won’t be able to fix them. So don’t take that on darlings.
2. Spend at least 30% of your time working on your team. Not WITH your team, but working ON your team. Lots of people leaders/managers say that their team takes up 50% of their time. However, they’re counting 1:1s where they discuss work, project meetings where they discuss work, informal discussions where they discuss work, and team meetings where they discuss work. That’s all working WITH your team but not ON your team. Clock the difference. Working on your team includes things like figuring out the problems that need solving, defining how to solve them, talking to talent/training teams about what they can do to help you, recognising contributions, seeking advice from your line manager about the team, having informal chats to get to know them, planning off-sites, giving feedback and having development conversations. It’s 30% because you also need to build relationships with your peers and senior leadership, work WITH you team, and stay across the work. So 30% is a good place to aim for.
3. If you have cultural or motivational challenges within your team, spend 50% of your time on your team. If you’re experiencing this, it’s your single biggest problem. Cultural or emotional fractures are a signal of something being seriously wrong. Usually it’s a mix of prior neglect, overset expectations by those that came before you, or toxic ambition. You need to figure out which it is and work to resolve it, and that takes time. Face time and close contact helps. As do honest and transparent converstations. It’s important, if you don’t unpick this the work suffers and the good people churn.
4. Reduce your expectations for the work deliverables. Be ok with delivering work product at lower standards than you’re used to. You got where you are because you’re good at what you do. Your team is still on that journey. Reduce your expectations and get comfortable delivering at a reduced level. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself ‘fixing’ the work before it goes out, eating into the time your should be spending on the team or other relationships. Don’t let it happen. Resist this urge. Remember, technical delivery is now less important than it used to be. Coach them to be the best they can be, but be ok when they’re not as good as you. (Warning, if you don’t take this one, here come the 12 hour days and half day deck review sessions. Don’t go there. Really!)
5. Be present. That’s it. Really. Show up, talk to them, email or Slack them, DM them. Bits of contact help create that connection and keep you present and top of mind. It also teaches them to come to you with problems, and you definitely want to foster that kind of culture.
6. Ask for feedback and stay open to the answers. Ask your team what they need, what they’re looking for, what would help them perform better. Pulse check how they’re feeling about the work and the climate in the team. Don’t forget, it’s your call what you do with that information.
7. Ask questions and listen. There’s often a pressure we put on ourselves to be super strong in front of a team. To have all the answers. To be brilliant and smart and bold. But most people just crave connection and belonging. You’re better off focusing on asking questions and understanding them. They’re people. You joining in them in this capacity is a big deal for them too.
8. Say less than nescessary. It’s a sign of confidence and strength. It leaves people wanting more. It ignites curiosity and creates interest. It requires great self control but when mastered yields remarkable results.
9. Write a one pager every day. Do a 10 minute download at the end of the day. I keep a separate notebook for this and at the end of the day write down things you learned, new things you tried and how they went, what you uncovered, what you achieved, wins or losses, etc. It’s a brilliant tool to not only track your journey and learning, but also forces you to process experiences you have in the day. It becomes your own philosophy as you go forward.

And remember, there are resources available to help you. Your peers, line manager, HR team, learning and development team, and your direct reports are all there to help you achieve what you need to achieve. In more senior roles, leadership coaches and peer mentorship groups may be another route of support. Embrace collaboration and openness. It’s the best way to help you succeed and not lose your mind in the process.

You are not alone.

I’m Jo, I’ve spent 15 years working in entertainment, and write about tech and media. Follow me for more on web 3, decentralised networks, and tech.