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What Do Managers (of Small Teams) Do Anyways? 4 | 15

Brandi Neal Oct 12, 2022 12:01:33 AM

What Do Managers (of Small Teams) Do Anyways? 4 | 15

Table of Contents

What do bosses do anyways? On this episode of the Radical Candor podcast, we're starting a new series of episodes to answer that question! Is it a manager’s job to go to meetings? Send emails? Tell people what to do? Are they supposed to work alongside their teams and carry part of the workload, or dream up strategies and expect other people to implement them? At the end of the day, a boss’s job is to guide a team to achieve results. However, depending on the size of your team, that process could look very different. Today we’re going to talk about managers of small teams and we’re going to define “small” as a team of 10 people or less. Listen to learn three key things every manager of small teams needs to know.

Listen to the episode:

Read the transcript >>

Radical Candor Podcast Episode At a Glance

Radical Candor Podcast small team

In order to be successful, managers are responsible for guidance, team building and getting results.

Managers listening to this podcast and thinking, “I know I should do these things, but I don’t know how,” you’re not alone. A common issue faced by managers is that they are very likely to have been, until recently, an individual contributor who was doing excellent work. Work so good that it earned them a “promotion” to a management role. 

Unfortunately, many companies fail to recognize that management is a job with discrete skills that need to be learned.  In many companies, managers receive little-to-no training, and this has very real consequences.

A  2018 study by digital services firm West Monroe Partners found that 41% of small-team managers received no training before becoming managers and 42% mimicked the style of a previous manager in lieu of any training or coaching.

And if they’re mimicking bad-boss behavior because they don’t have any other models, that’s going to be a problem for the entire team.

So now you’ve got someone with no training managing a team — but the issues don’t stop there. These managers are also doing a lot of administrative tasks.

“In addition to the lack of training, managers report they’re too busy with administrative tasks to adequately oversee their team: 36% report spending three to four hours per day on administrative work. Nearly half (44%) frequently feel overwhelmed at work.”

The situation can be so unpleasant that a UK-based survey found that managers who haven’t received any management training were 36% more likely to leave their jobs in 2022 than managers who have been trained.

This isn’t just a problem for managers; it affects the entire team. The Gallup 2022 State of the Workplace report found: “Managers need to be better listeners, coaches and collaborators." 

People with managers who embody these skills are noted as thriving at work. "95% of people who are thriving at work report being treated with respect all day and 87% report smiling and laughing a lot."

Listen to the full episode to get all the tips and resources!

Radical Candor Podcast Checklist

  1. Think about how you’re spending your time and make sure you’re focusing on managing your team. Take the time to get to know each person on your team and regularly show appreciation and support for your team’s work.
  2. If you’re an individual contributor “promoted” to management, assess where you are — take a step to start building competence. Consider seeking out a mentor or coach to help you develop your management skills and read books, listen to podcasts, watch videos, etc.
  3. Admit you have accountability without control. Let go of control and remember that it's part of your job to be held accountable and also hold others accountable.
  4.  Start by soliciting feedback. You need to find out what other people think needs to happen and what you are doing both right and wrong.

Radical Candor Podcast Resources

 
Have questions about Radical Candor? Let's talk >>
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Key Questions Covered

What are the three key responsibilities of a manager of a small team?

According to the Radical Candor framework, every manager — regardless of team size — is responsible for three core things: providing guidance (giving and receiving feedback), team building (getting to know each person and fostering a strong team culture), and getting results. On small teams of 10 or fewer, these responsibilities are especially hands-on, and how well a manager executes them directly shapes the day-to-day experience of every team member.

Why do so many first-time managers struggle with their new role?

Most first-time managers were promoted because they excelled as individual contributors — not because they had management skills. The problem is that management is a distinct job requiring a distinct skill set, and most companies provide little or no training. A 2018 West Monroe Partners study found that 41% of small-team managers received no training before stepping into the role, and 42% simply mimicked a previous manager's style. Without proper models or coaching, many end up replicating bad-boss behavior without realizing it.

How much time are managers wasting on administrative tasks instead of managing their teams?

Quite a lot. Research cited in this episode found that 36% of managers spend three to four hours per day on administrative work, and nearly half (44%) frequently feel overwhelmed. This administrative burden crowds out the time managers need to coach, listen to, and support their teams — which are the behaviors Gallup's 2022 State of the Workplace report identifies as critical for employee thriving.

What happens when managers don't receive management training?

The consequences ripple across the whole team. Untrained managers are more likely to model poor leadership behaviors, leave employees without adequate support, and burn out themselves. A UK-based survey found that managers who hadn't received any management training were 36% more likely to leave their jobs in 2022 compared to trained managers. High manager turnover destabilizes teams and compounds the original problem of inadequate leadership.

What practical steps can a new or undertrained manager take to improve?

The episode's checklist offers four concrete starting points:

  • Audit how you're spending your time and prioritize people management over administrative tasks.
  • Seek out a mentor, coach, or self-directed learning resources (books, podcasts, videos) to build management competence.
  • Acknowledge that you have accountability without direct control — let go of micromanaging and embrace mutual accountability.
  • Start soliciting feedback from your team to understand what's working and what isn't before trying to fix anything.
How does team size affect what a manager actually does day to day?

Team size significantly changes how a manager's job looks in practice. On a small team (defined here as 10 people or fewer), a manager is typically more hands-on — often working alongside the team, knowing each person individually, and being directly involved in the work. The Radical Candor podcast is launching a series specifically to explore how management responsibilities shift as team size grows, starting with this deep dive into small-team management.

Keep going.

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