Scaling Teams: Strategies for Building Successful Teams and Organizations

by Alexander Grosse

As a manager, you can also try to evaluate whether a promising IC possesses some key traits that are correlated with management success. In rough priority order: Mentorship Do they happily help coworkers improve their skills and knowledge, even when it means slowing down their own work? Communication Can they clearly articulate complex ideas, in both verbal and written form? Can they address difficult subjects, such as critical feedback, without mincing words or being vague? Empathy Do they seem capable of understanding the feelings and perspective of others, even when they may feel differently themselves? In cases of conflict, do they first seek mutual understanding or are they focused on victory? Organic leadership Does the team look to this person for guidance and direction, even without a formal leadership role? When they talk, do others listen and act? Humility Can they gracefully share credit with others when appropriate? Or conversely, do they seek the limelight, even when it’s not in the best interest of the team? Strategic thinking Can they see beyond their current assignments to understand the bigger picture, how the work of the team fits the overall product direction and the needs of the business? Do they push back or ask hard questions when they don’t see how these fit together? Can they set aside short-term goals long enough to realize there is a larger strategic opportunity that the team should pursue?