Managing Large Teams

Management style is something I often ponder and wonder about. It’s a question many folks get asked during an interview as eager employers look to safeguard culture. I tend to think it’s a question not given much thought as you advance up the ladder and as the size of your team grows. When I was managing two people it was much easier to say my style is as democratic or when I managed 140 to say I am visionary. The truth is it is much more nuanced than that.

When you manage a large team you take on a multitude of personalities which make it imperative to wear different hats at different times. At some point, you will need to delegate and at another point you will need to show leadership. Without this flexibility you risk being seen as rigid and not empathetic to others views.

I understand why people would like to put management style in a singular box. It makes it easier to gauge someone’s success in a particular organization and allows for a quick read on someone’s ability to be introspective. But a smart organization would recognize the need to be adaptable to different scenarios. Thus allowing both manager and employees to success for the best possible outcome.