Learning through leading

Through a mix of initiative, circumstances and luck, I have led a team of mathematics content developers since August 2019. On one of my cycling trips, I started reflecting on what I had learnt through my experiences as a team lead.

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One of my first realisations was that I disliked the term 'people manager'. I fundamentally didn't believe that my teammates needed to be 'managed'; rather, I felt that they should be guided in their growth as content developers. Products and projects need to be managed; people don't. I frequently told myself to never lose sight of the fact that my teammates are people and not 'human resources' (another phrase that I am really not a fan of! 😅).

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No one is a clean slate.

Each of my teammates came in with some expectations about their role and the equation that they would want to share with their team lead. Thus, in our first interaction, we discussed our views on the four questions below to understand one another and begin our professional relationship on the same page. The first two questions are teammate focused and the next two are team lead focused.

1. [teammate to reflect] What are my expectations of myself as a member of this team?
2. [team lead to reflect] What are my expectations of a member in this team?
3. [teammate to reflect] What are my expectations of my team lead?
4. [team lead to reflect] What are my expectations of myself as a team lead?

(The value I place in understanding/setting expectations isn't new. It is something that I did whenever I taught a group of students (or a single student) for the first time and you can read more about how/why I did this here!)

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Nothing beats engaging and mentally stimulating work. Sometimes, it's just that simple!

On average, an adult spends 30-35% of their waking hours engaged in their professional work. So, it's much better if one likes his/her job rather than longingly wishing for Friday evening to come soon! 😂

I saw my teammates respond positively to projects that pushed them outside their comfort zone and demonstrate admirable ownership when entrusted with driving them. As a team lead, it was my duty to see that our team got to work on projects that simultaneously contributed to my teammates' growth and the company's goals.

In addition, I encouraged my teammates to explore their interests outside mathematics content development. For instance, one of my teammates was keen on applying the data analysis knowledge that he had picked up through an online course to a practical context; we figured out a way for him to carve time out to engage with another team that was doing data analysis work for projects in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Another teammate got to design assessment frameworks for a grade 12 business studies course since she was an economics graduate with an interest in business. As a firm believer in doing a variety of tasks to develop a holistic skillset, I found it natural to build such a mindset within my team.

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Being a meticulous planner is something that comes easily to me and this proved immensely helpful as a team lead! At the same time, I had to consciously strike a balance between creating plans to get work done effectively/efficiently and giving autonomy and space to my teammates to execute those plans.

As a team, we have a system in which we create monthly plans (derived from our quarter goals/targets) and those plans are transparent i.e., each team member's (including me) plans are visible to the rest of the team. My teammates derive their weekly plans from the monthly plan and we finalise the weekly plan during our one-one meetings. Thereafter, they are free to go about their tasks as they see fit during the week.

This system is built on a foundation of trust - I strongly believe that my teammates are capable people (which is one of the reasons we hired them in the first place) who can and should be trusted to do their jobs. 😀 Unless the quality of work is deteriorating or deadlines are missed, I don't see the need to interfere.

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Weekly one-one meetings are sacrosanct.

I meet with each team member for 30-45 minutes every Monday morning. We discuss about the work done the previous week, what went (or is going) well, what could have gone better and freeze the plan for the coming week. This space is also one where my teammates can bring any concerns or suggestions that they have around work to the table. We also find time to share newsworthy stuff from our personal lives - who cooked what, who travelled where, who read/watched what, who met whom... you get the point! 😂 I have found these meetings invaluable and look forward to starting my week with them. From conversations with my teammates, they find these meetings helpful too. 😃

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Building on an earlier point about trust and factoring in the work-from-home situation brought about by Covid-19, I've realised that team leaders must be flexible and empathetic. Domestic responsibilities, a sick family member, unforeseen circumstances, travel, power cuts, internet issues, ad hoc tasks that come in based on user feedback... the list goes on! To reiterate a point I made at the beginning - my teammates are people and not human resources. Things often do not go as per plan and adapting to the situation and reprioritising work are par for the course.

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Giving feedback, both positive and constructive, is a critical part of a team lead's role. Whether reviewing content created by the team or entering comments during appraisals, I strive to include authentic examples to support the feedback so that it is usable and not some vague statements that carry little to no substance.

Early in my professional career, I lacked tact and had to consciously work to develop it. I'm blunt by nature and this reflects in the manner in which I give feedback. I see this as a strength if I am able to temper it according to the person and situation. Hence, I try to blend direct feedback with diplomacy and tact so that I don't antagonise my teammates or put them on the defensive.

I also think it is important for team leads to know how to ask for and receive feedback from their teammates. Feedback is a dialogue that runs on a two-way street; who better to give me feedback on how I/the team is doing than my teammates themselves! Since I tend to not mince words when giving feedback, I expect the same from my teammates and urge them to point out areas in which I can improve. After all, I've been a team lead for only about two years now and still have a lot to learn!

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If you've reached till this point, you're probably thinking that, for me, being a team lead has been smooth sailing. Well... that's not true. Like life itself, the role has required me to take the bad with the good. At times, I've had to bite my tongue and take a calm and pragmatic view of a spiralling situation. I've had to have unpleasant conversations when things weren't going well. I've had to opt for the last resort of escalation when I'd exhausted all the options that I could think of. I've had to let teammates go when it appeared to be the best course of action for both parties. I've lost some wonderful teammates who found opportunities elsewhere that were more aligned to their goals. I've rejected far more applicants than I've accepted. I've had to back my teammates and stand up for what I felt was best for the team at the cost of possibly rubbing higher-ups the wrong way.

Looking back on my journey has made me realise that I genuinely enjoy leading a team and look forward to growing further in this aspect of my professional life! 😃

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(Note to the reader: I haven't taken courses or undergone any formal training in team leadership or management. My learnings have been on the job and I wouldn't have it any other way. When I needed advice, I turned to colleagues and friends whose opinions I value.)

(A heartfelt thank you to each teammate that I have worked with over the last two years. The interactions we had definitely contributed to my personal and professional growth and, for that, I am grateful. 😀)