We talk a lot over here about the before and during of the hiring process. But what about the after? Management of your new employees is just as important as your recruiting process. I truly believe it is a lifelong skill to build and requires community support which is why I highly recommend that business owners join Kira La Forgia of Paradigm Consulting’s Set To Scale Team Management Consulting, a private membership and the first and only library for managing your virtual team and twice a month coaching calls. Kira, a People Ops and HR pro, and I coach and support our members on these calls with the ongoing management of their virtual teams. I believe most growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum but happens in community– this is especially important for my first tip for managing your team. Let’s dive in.

Here are my top tips for managing and leading employees on your team

Number one: focus on the work to be done and keep your insecurities and feelings around leadership out of it

When we think about what leadership is supposed to be, what comes up for me is “transparency”. While this is important, some things you really shouldn’t be transparent about in your working relationships in order to ensure the psychological safety of your employees (thanks to Kira of Paradigm for this lesson). Yes, we want to treat our employees like humans BUT when it comes to getting the support around your internal growing pains of being a CEO, managing people, and especially the financials of your company– you need a support system outside of your employees. They are not your emotional support when you’re going through stressors like cash flow challenges, management of other team member woes, etc. That brings added stress and can errode their psychological and emotional safety at work– it’s not their job to worry about that stuff– it’s yours.

But this doesn’t mean you have to go at it alone but you need to find the appropriate places to get suport– this is why the Set to Scale Membership is a great place because you can be in a group with other CEOs and managers experiencing the same growing pains as you and you can get support in a confidential setting. And also lean on your biz besties through these challenges. Lean on your employees to support in the work! That’s what they signed up for! And you can still care for your employees and treat them like humans and value them without divulging every single thing that’s going on in your mind!

All of this to say, as I so eloquently said in my interview with Sarah Peck of Startup Parent, “don’t put emotional shit on employees, find your support system for the CEO and growth stuff”.

Number two: you’re going to mess up, and give yourself grace when you do

Like with anything new we do, we aren’t going to be perfect at it at first. You and your business will evolve and change over the span of time from your first to your second to your fifth hire and so on.  Let each iteration get better. Learn what you need to learn and don’t be too hard on yourself. And I’m going to be honest, you may not be *the best* manager your first time around, and that’s okay. Take responsibility where you need to, embrace the mess, do your best, and learn. It’s humbling but also rewarding. Which leads me into my last point…

Number three: remember why you’re doing this and grow from your experiences

You can’t grow alone. Having relationships with people and managing them can be hard and painful at times. That’s the name of the game. But then you have periods of time that are utterly amazing– where you are serving your clients at the highest capacity, you have a team working together with a shared mission and vision that support each other, you have more influence and impact, and finally, some room to breathe after working so hard to build the foundations of your business.

You could do this alone, but you’ll be limited in your capacity and your impact. Or you can choose your hard and choose growth.

Personally, I can serve my clients better when there is more than just me and more perspectives and gifts. And at the end of the day, I want to serve my clients the best I can and I want to grow. Even if it’s hard sometimes. And you don’t need a huge team to do it– you can have a lean and intentional team

Adapted from content from Kira La Forgia of Paradigm and from a conversation with Sarah Peck of Startup Parent