Raising Managers
Part of The PIRATE Way — Stories about scaling up engineering teams.
Background
In the summer of 2019, the burgeoning number of direct reports that Dave Garcia, Sergio Berna, and I were handling began to underscore an impending necessity — additional managerial roles. It wasn’t just about numbers but about effective management, nurturing, and development of each team member.
Rather than directly opting to bring in full-time managers, our gaze turned inward. We recognized the latent potential within our senior team members, their aspiration for growth, and the untapped leadership talents waiting to be honed.
We pondered the idea of an internal program rooted in real-world scenarios and practical learning. Inspired by valuable insights from “The Manager’s Path” by Camille Fournier and “Resilient Management” by Lara Hogan, a case-based learning approach emerged as a compelling proposition. Dave’s creativity met with the repository of technical notes, book excerpts, and enriched content from resources like LeadDev talks.
To Hire or Raise: A Strategic Conundrum
The pivotal decision of whether to hire externally or develop managerial talent internally is one that companies, regardless of their size and industry, often grapple with. Both strategies come with their inherent advantages and challenges. A study by Wharton management professor Matthew Bidwell suggests that external hires are often paid more and receive lower performance evaluations in their initial periods than internal promotions.
Pros and Cons
Hiring Managers:
- Pros: Fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, Immediate expertise and experience, and Reduction in training and development time.
- Cons: Potential cultural misfit, Longer adjustment periods, and Higher costs and attrition rates.
Raising Managers:
- Pros: Cultural fit and alignment, Detailed understanding of organizational dynamics, and Cost-effective and fostering employee loyalty.
- Cons: May need more diversified experience, Requires extensive training, and Risk of inbred thinking.
Data-Driven Insights
Metrics play a crucial role in this narrative. The optimal balance is often tailored to the organization’s unique needs, growth stage, and cultural dynamics. A Gallup study indicates that companies fail to choose the candidate with the right talent for the manager’s role 82% of the time. Thus, the inclination towards raising managers internally is often counterbalanced by the need to infuse fresh perspectives and expertise.
The Journey of the Program
The essence of the program was to marry theoretical knowledge with practical scenarios. Candidates desirous of enrolling must read designated books and respond to a survey. It wasn’t a test but a filter to gauge genuine interest and commitment.
Every session was an expedition into topics such as conflict resolution, managing diverse performance levels, and navigating through the challenges posed by toxic team members. We didn’t linger on the case studies but dived into active discussions, where diversified perspectives fostered rich learning.
Post-training participants were initiated into managerial roles with one or two reports. It was a balanced blend, allowing the continuation of individual contribution roles while stepping into executive shoes.
Broader Horizons
The initiative didn’t remain confined to our department. The allure of practical learning drew professionals from varied departments. It enriched the content and infused multi-disciplinary perspectives, making the learning journey universal yet unique.
People who were on the fence about transitioning to managerial roles found value. It was not about the destination but the journey, the exploration, and the invaluable insights gained en route.
Evaluation and Metrics
We were conscious of the continuous evolution needed. Feedback was solicited after each session, offering real-time insights to refine and enrich the program.
The Manager/Report Ratio and Hire/Raise Ratio became instrumental metrics. We optimized the manager-to-report ratio from 10+ to an average of 6. It was a meticulous balancing act, ensuring senior leaders complemented the budding managers, nurturing an ecosystem where experience and new perspectives coalesced seamlessly.
Conclusion
Raising managers internally isn’t a linear journey but a dynamic process. It’s about fostering a culture where learning, growth, and development are intrinsic. Every manager raised internally becomes a testament to the organization’s commitment to nurturing leadership from within, balancing it with external insights to create a milieu where innovation, productivity, and growth are not just goals but a lived reality.
It’s a narrative where every challenge faced and every solution crafted isn’t just an incident but a chapter in the grander story of organizational evolution, where learning isn’t confined to books or case studies but is lived every day, and where every professional isn’t just a team member but a potential leader awaiting the proper nurture.
The echoes of our sessions, the rich discussions, and the transformed managerial narratives stand testimony to a journey that’s as profound in its learnings as it is universal in its application.
Remember: This is a blog post from the series “The PIRATE way.”
