One of the many reasons people flock to the tech industry is the chance to bypass the tenure-based promotional system of the corporate world and gain a leadership role based on merit and ability. While it’s not uncommon to see someone go from a junior team member to a manager in 12 or even 18 months, this rapid rise sometimes means people have to learn to lead on the job.
There are plenty of books, podcasts and articles designed to help new managers learn the ropes, but sometimes it helps to hear from people who have been there and done that, like Amanda Moss, director of marketing and communication at Civis Analytics and Melanie Ruiz, manager and data architecture lead at Aptitive.
Moss and Ruiz have nearly 15 years of leadership experience between them. They recently spoke with Built In about the one critical piece of advice they wish they’d heard when first becoming managers.
Don’t Default to a Particular Style
First-time managers at growing tech companies are likely to find themselves leading a team that adds new members seemingly every few weeks. In general, but especially on growing teams, there is a temptation to pick one management style and run with it.
Moss cautioned against that approach and recommended that new managers take the time to get to know the individual communication and feedback styles of each of their team members.
“It’s important to recognize that every individual is a little different in how they like to be managed, so don’t just default to the style you personally prefer,” Moss told Built In.
Getting to know every team member on an individual level may sound draining, especially on larger teams, but according to Moss it’s all about simply asking the right questions and keeping the lines of communication open.
“Have a conversation upfront to set norms,” Moss continued. “How do they prefer to receive feedback? What motivates them? What mode or style of communication do each of you prefer? What level of detail do they want when given a project? Things may change over time, but it’s important to level-set and keep the conversation open.”
Amanda Moss is a director of marketing and communications at big data company Civis Analytics.
Be Smart With Your Time
Tech companies have a knack for recognizing and developing potential. Unfortunately, sometimes “professional development opportunities” translate into doing two or three jobs at once as a company scales quicker than it can hire. Ruiz wants new managers to remember that when it comes to taking on additional responsibilities, it’s okay to say “no.”
“As a society, we have an unhealthy view of what it means to be a hard worker and a team player,” Ruiz told Built In. “People often feel it is necessary to take on the new responsibilities of management while continuing to maintain the workload of their previous position, especially in smaller companies. However, this tactic is detrimental to the new manager, the employees working under them and the company as a whole.”
Wearing many hats is table-stakes at growing tech companies, and Ruiz is not advising new managers to simply deflect all incoming requests for support. Instead, she wants managers to be smart with their time and delegate as needed — and to remember that there’s more to life than work.
“It is important to learn early on how to set boundaries, delegate tasks and determine to which incoming requests you can say ‘no’ or ‘not right now,’” Ruiz said. “Allow yourself to have a life outside of work and don’t feel guilty for going to live it. Model this behavior for your team members.”
Maintaining this mindset can be difficult in a company with aggressive growth goals, but Ruiz has found encouragement in a surprising place: on social media.
“I recently came across a tweet that is a great reminder to myself and I think to many others as well: ‘You don't have to earn your right to rest,’” Ruiz said.
Melanie Ruiz is a manager and data architecture lead at Aptitive.
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