Quote from Matthew Whitewood on March 20, 2021, 10:06 am

Thanks for the advice.
Indeed, my main mistake was to not provide a strong enough anchor and stepped back a bit too much.
I mistook expertise and domain knowledge for initiative, drive, coordination skills.
I expected that because they were at the same level, I can let them run with an area of responsibility without giving too much input.
Because then they can have more creativity to explore ideas and run with things.
But I misread the situation and this was not the right style of leading the team.

Quote from Transitioned on March 21, 2021, 9:07 am

Yea I think that s where the empowered team servant leadership ideals r just ideals.  You need a quite exceptional team for that. And note they re generally only that good at what they do.  Their head s in their specialist area as it should be.   I ve had crack app dev teams fall apart at inception or estimation or options sessions.  That s y PMs and BAs still exist to throw our body over gaps so the team can walk across.  Whatever the big book of agile says.

 

 

 

 

 

Quote from Matthew Whitewood on March 22, 2021, 5:49 pm

Quote from Lucio Buffalmano on March 13, 2021, 5:00 am

I'm looking at it from the outside, so I might be very wrong.

But it sounds like right now those meetings are dangerously close to chats.
I've been in several groups where I felt like "these people are just chatting here".

You want to avoid those at all costs -OK, maybe just one, just once, to learn the dynamics-.

It takes someone who craves to build a buisness, and who takes the leadership to make it happen. Let it be you.
That means that the next meeting you want clear tasks assigned, with timelines. At the meeting after that, you check what came out of it, what results, if any.

If those people are not able or willing to make things happen, ditch them: they're wasting your time.

You are absolutely right Lucio.
I have been steering the rudder tightly and especially during meetings.
Things are moving forward.

People were chatting too much.

Then today the dominant person said something weird:

Me: My apologies, my computer broke down.
I need to get it repaired.
Let's resume the discussion later.

(An hour later. Noticed that the group video conversation is still on. 2 people. I join)

Dominant Guy: We were just chatting here. Nothing really business. Travels & stuff.

Me: I do like travel. What did I miss?

Dominant Guy: (...). Sometimes I feel unmotivated man. Like I just want to chat.

Me: We are just starting out. We need time to build the business.
Maybe you haven't seen sufficient money to be motivated.

Dominant Guy: That's true. I read somewhere that we need to see tangible things to feel motivated.

Me: Things are moving forward. We have an event.
And a meeting soon with a prospective client.
Let's keep the momentum and we will see the outcomes.

Dominant Guy: Yeah, I will meet with (the other guy), and we will prepare the document.

(At night, texts the whole group and asks to meet for brainstorming questions on cold outreach right away. Acts leader-like.)

Me: Here's a list of questions

Dominant Guy: All good questions Matthew

My Reflections and Thoughts

1. I can make this team move forward. Not ideal. But it can work.
   There's some method to this madness of this team dynamics.
2. The dominant guy has several behaviour patterns.
   • He needs to feel motivated with tangible things.
     So I will let him do things with obvious recognition.
   • He likes to feel powerful.
     Probably especially after being vulnerable.
   • He can actually get things done when motivated and provide great ideas.
3. I'm providing good direction for things to move forward.
   I need to maintain some level of authority, credibility and positive influence.
   I cannot let the power moves of the dominant person distract the other person from how to move forward.