In my experience within the startup, scaleup and small business space, it’s pretty rare these days to be a manager whose sole role is to manage.
Most people leaders I’ve worked with also have at least some operational responsibilities - for example, having their own sales target to hit whilst also helping direct reports meet theirs.
This management model, often described as the ‘player-coach’ approach, allows teams to run leaner. It can also be beneficial in other ways. Managers that work closely alongside their teams are more likely to be able to spot operational issues and resolve them quickly. In turn, they may also find building credibility and trust with their team comes more naturally.
However, wearing multiple hats also means a LOT of context switching. Player-coach managers need to be able to focus on getting stuff done, whilst also keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Not to mention the fact that supporting human beings through the ups and downs of work and life can be time consuming and emotionally taxing.
Over time, all this hat-swapping can become exhausting - and when it somethings gotta give, it’s often management priorities that drop off the to-do list. In this article, we’ll cover some practical ways to make sure that management doesn’t fall by the wayside.
Often player-coaches are created by accident rather than design - with management framed as an add-on to an existing role.
However, management requires real time and headspace - it’s not just reactive queries and admin like holiday approvals, but things like 1:1’s, development planning and running team meetings.
More than that, it’s a mindset shift - your success no longer comes just from completing tasks and projects - but from helping your team achieve success.
If you’re offered a management role, the first thing you should ask your People team or Leadership for is an overview of expectations and responsibilities. If this doesn’t exist, then advocate for its creation. Management looks different in every organisation and you shouldn’t have to guess what success looks like.
Once you have clarity on the role, you can work on a transition plan and identify any areas where you need further support or training.
You may also need to advocate for a shift in the incentives and goals attached to your role to avoid constantly conflicting priorities. For example, if you’re in a sales role - it might be worth requesting that your personal target be lowered or that some of your comp be based on team achievement instead.
When you take on a player-coach role, how you manage your time is crucial. So it’s important to be intentional about designing a way of working that actually works for you. What this looks like will be different for everyone, but here are some things to consider.
Working hours: this is especially important if you work in a business that operates with ‘core hours’. Your team needs to know when you’ll be available.
Personal priorities: Equally, it’s great role modelling to block out time to pick up your kids, go to the gym or for personal development. It creates permission for your team to do the same - and these moments are crucial to give you breathing space and time to decompress. At the end of every week or month, try adding your own priorities to the calendar first and see what a difference it makes.
1:1’s: 1:1’s are your most important meetings with your team members, so it’s important to protect this time. 1:1’s help you to keep your finger on the pulse on how your team members are feeling and nip potential issues in the bud before they escalate.
Thinking time: when our calendars are back to back, it can begin to feel like we don’t have any time to actually do the work we need to do. To combat this, experiment with different ways to build in thinking time - it could be a couple of hours for focused effort or a 15 minute buffer before meetings. This will help you bring a more intentional, less frantic energy into your work and set you up for getting the best out of meetings and collaboration time.
As we’ve already alluded to, taking on management even for one or two people can be time consuming. So something’s got to give to make the shift in workload manageable.
But delegation isn’t just about making your life easier. It also gives your team members a chance to step up and grow. One of your first priorities as a manager should be getting a feel for your team members aspirations, by asking questions like:
You can then look for projects and tasks to delegate. However, how you delegate is just as important as what you delegate.
Make sure you take the time to explain the ‘why’ behind a task, what impact it will have and what skills and experience you think your team member can bring to it.
If you’re delegating a ‘stretch’ task or something brand new, make sure you check in regularly to offer support and coaching. Then, when everything’s done, review learnings and get feedback on how you could collaborate better next time around.
People management often brings novel challenges - and whether you’re a new manager or an experienced one, a lot of mental load comes from wondering whether you’re doing the right thing.
To combat this, make sure you use all the resources at your disposal - engage with your People team, senior colleagues and of course the Tyllr community to access advice and support.
There’s always value in seeking another perspective - and it means you’ll be able to approach similar situations with greater confidence next time around.
There’s no denying that juggling individual contributor and management responsibilities is tough - but there are ways to make it work for you. At the heart of all the advice we’ve shared in this article is proactive communication and self-advocacy. Setting realistic expectations with both your team members and senior leadership is crucial to ensure you can wear both your player and your coach hat with pride.
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