From microscopic organisms to the vastness of space, our universe operates on a range of scales. Why wouldn’t the concept apply to leadership?
For any leader, transitioning from overseeing a large team to a smaller one poses challenges.
Resources are leaner, processes might be elemental and priorities constantly shift.
At some point in their career, many will find themselves tested at both ends of the spectrum — excelling across scales speaks not only to a leader’s prowess, but their resilience in the face of change, making it a vital aspect of effective leadership. Like captains of a ship, one must be able to handle crews of all sizes and adapt to the unique demands of each.
In other words, great leaders must scale to successfully sail.
Built In recently sat down with leaders from Cohere Health and Route, who shared their own experiences transitioning from leading a larger company to a smaller one.
Cohere Health provides intelligent prior authorization as a springboard to better quality care and outcomes.
Share a time in your career when you “scaled down” as a leader. What was the biggest challenge of that transition, and how did you navigate it?
The size of my team is not always correlated to the size of our impact. Scaling down has meant reassessing how my impact affects my organization — it has also meant that I’m able to focus on a meaningful problem and move the needle on it. One of the things I’m most excited about is growing a small team into a bigger one while maintaining a “small team” culture.
What is the most common pothole you see leaders step into when scaling down as managers?
A common one I see is assuming that the practices of a larger, more mature organization will work well in a smaller one. This isn’t always the case. To avoid it, I recommend distilling the “why” first. Why did certain systems or processes work well in another organization? What factors were at play to make that a winning combination? From there, it can be easier to apply certain big organization principles to a smaller team in a way that still feels relevant and rooted in their culture.
What is your number one tip for making this transition process smoother for you and your team?
Listen, but trust your instincts. You’ll notice lots of things that are different from your big team, and while some differences might be an improvement, others will be harder to get behind. Take time to understand the nuances and dynamics of the new team because there’s likely a good reason for them. You may even find yourself changing your norms.
In other words, don’t be afraid to learn from your new team and capitalize on what works well. What doesn’t work well, you can fix over time — but change doesn’t happen overnight. As long as you’re willing to adapt, the benefits of scaling down can lead to a huge increase in job satisfaction.
“Don’t be afraid to learn from your new team and capitalize on what works well.”
Route gives consumers the power to track all their orders in one place from any merchant.
Share a time in your career when you “scaled down” as a leader. What was the biggest challenge of that transition, and how did you navigate it?
Last year, like many other venture-backed startups, Route restructured its operations to support its most viable tech investments during the well-publicized “tech winter.” Between leading the team and delivering the business, the bigger challenge was the former — and it was more fulfilling from a personal standpoint. Fast-forward six months, and we’ve rebounded successfully by all practical measures, financial or otherwise.
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Reflecting on this time, I scaled up my focus on our team. Putting them front and center in decision-making proved critical to delivering the most near-term value, without losing sight of the company’s long-term vision.
“Putting the team front and center proved critical to delivering the most near-term value, without losing sight of the company’s long-term vision.”
What is the most common pothole you see leaders step into when scaling down as managers?
Two “gotchas” come to mind for leaders when scaling down.
When you stand for nothing, you fall for everything. Purpose is a powerful antidote to the frenetic working environment of today, and leaders must develop their own operating system, which includes defining their values, understanding their motivations, building their support team and staying grounded. “True North” by Bill George is a great book to support development in these areas.
Second is the idea that the most adaptable among us are those who survive. Layering this attribute on top of a personal operating system is critical and especially salient for those who work in tech or at any startup. The mindset of “this is how we’ve always done it” is a surefire way to be out of business in 2024.
What is your number one tip for making this transition process smoother for you and your team?
I start by thinking of the unwritten contract between manager and direct report. A manager’s role to deliver business outcomes, grow the team and support career growth; it is the direct report’s responsibility to enable business performance, be a good teammate and exhibit a growth mindset in their behavior. With this as the backdrop, my number one tip for leaders is to take care of the team. If you take care of the team, the team will take care of the business, and this starts and ends with mutual trust and respect. Once this is established, it opens a two-way door for both the manager and direct report to be tough — to say the hard things, hold each other accountable and push each other further than either could go alone.
We try to live this daily at Route with one of our core values, team over ego. I’ve been fortunate to operate in and lead high-performing teams in the past, and what we’re building here and now is second to none.
