4 Often Overlooked Trainings for New Managers at Startups
With the rapid advancements in AI, the tech industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now. As can be expected, this results in a steep failure rate for startups that can’t keep up, much less get ahead. One would think that a new startup needs all the tools in its tool belt to be as sharp as possible to succeed. One such critical tool is the ability to manage oneself and manage others for optimal success. But what is the startup’s responsibility when it comes to new manager training? Let’s take a look at some of the key areas that new managers at fast-growing startups need to be equipped with training on.
1. Emotional Intelligence:
New managers need to have a good foundation around understanding themselves (self-awareness) and understanding others (what motivates and demotivates them). Exposure to assessments such as the Enneagram, DISC, or 16 Types, can help managers become aware of their natural tendencies, strengths, and possible blind spots.
Common mistake: Neglecting to consider the individual motivations and demotivators of team members can lead to misunderstandings, decreased engagement, and reduced productivity within the team, not to mention high turnover rates.
Training options that will help new managers in this area explore concepts such as self-awareness, empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution so that managers can develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their team members.
Additional Resources: New Manager Toolkit
2. Setting Expectations:
One of the hardest things about being in a fast-growing startup is that everyone wears many hats and that those hats can get passed around. This can muddy the waters when it comes to responsibilities, making it frustrating for team members to understand what their role is. As a new manager, it will be important for you to set clear expectations as to what each team member’s role is and who is responsible for what. Keeping the team in their lane while moving projects forward as a whole is paramount.
Common mistake: This situation most commonly happens when someone leaves the company and their duties are reassigned. For example, in a meeting, a manager may assign a task to a person on the marketing team, although it has previously been assigned to someone on the analyst team. This results in confusion about which team is responsible for those types of tasks now and in the future. To address this, managers should be diligent when assigning tasks to ensure responsibilities are clear. Additionally, team members should feel comfortable asking for clarity in such scenarios.
Training that may be beneficial in this area is, “How to Hold Successful 1-on-1 Meetings,” “Giving Feedback & Praise that Lands,” “How to Facilitate Meetings,” and “Strategic Planning.”
Additional Resources:
3. Team Dynamics and Collaboration:
It’s not uncommon for there to be personality clashes within the office environment. While some may believe this doesn’t happen in a hybrid or remote environment, the truth is that any time you have people working on a team, there can be conflict. What makes it harder for remote or hybrid teams is that communication richness deteriorates anytime you can’t see the person’s body language or hear the tone and inflection in their voice. This can lead to misunderstandings or unnecessarily escalate conflict.
Common mistake: Failure to understand the individual strengths and weaknesses of each team member as well as their pet peeves. For example, pairing a duo together to work on a project and one person is very rigid when it comes to being on time and the other person is very fluid when it comes to their concept of time. There will likely be conflict if these two are paired together without addressing expectations upfront.
Training that may be beneficial in this area explores the stages of team development as well as how to build diverse and cohesive teams that work effectively together and share knowledge easily.
Additional Resources:
4. Conflict Resolution and Having Difficult Conversations:
Being a new manager in a small start-up means that you are working with a small group of people, sometimes in very close quarters. Some people may choose not to bring up small issues because they don’t want to rock the boat. However, this only leads to bigger fires to put out down the road. . .
Common mistake: A manager notices small behaviors that do not align with the values of the team and organization. For example, an employee arrives to work 15 minutes late every day and takes an hour and a half lunch while everyone is supposed to get just one hour. Instead of addressing the situation, the manager continues to let it happen. Other employees notice and it becomes a contentious topic. Some of the other employees even become bitter about it.
Training that may be beneficial in this area is “Handling Difficult Conversations.” This training helps equip new managers with the skills necessary to help themselves and others feel comfortable addressing small issues and concerns. It covers techniques for promoting open dialogue, active listening, providing constructive feedback, and resolving conflicts in a timely and respectful manner. By fostering a culture of open communication, new managers can address small issues proactively, prevent escalation, and maintain a positive work environment conducive to growth and collaboration.
Additional Resources:
Addressing these common scenarios and being prepared in advance for these critical issues will help alleviate the prolonged toxic nature that can arise if left unchecked. For startups, protecting a positive team culture is paramount to the long-term longevity of the organization, and mastering these four areas will provide managers with the tools they need to lead a thriving team.
