There May Be Trouble Ahead! Navigating Potholes In People Management As Your Small Business Grows
Updated: Oct 6, 2022
Written by: Nicole Posner, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As your small business evolves and catapults into another stratosphere, you will no doubt be caught up in the excitement of this new journey. However, there may well be hurdles and obstacles to overcome with your employees that you might have overlooked.
You may believe that they’re totally with you. That they are your cheerleaders!
And that might be true but as you enter the next phase of your business plan, you will be chartering new and unknown territories which may bring up some complex people issues that you may find yourself ill-equipped to deal with.
Perhaps, for example, you’ve hired a new Manager to reduce some of the load and to delegate tasks to you no longer have time to deal with. This may have been a ‘snap decision’ hire without adequate thought and consideration if this new team member will fit into the culture of your business or if their values are aligned with yours. It was a means of solving one problem (not enough time to do everything) yet just opening Pandora’s box to another set of issues.
Where before your teams reported directly to you, now they would be reporting to someone who they don’t necessarily like, respect, or agree with and whose communication style simply rubs them up the wrong way.
And with a lack of internal HR, some difficult conversations may fall by the wayside and resentment and hostility will bubble away under the surface towards both the new Manager who they consider is restricting contact with you and you for bringing in ‘an outsider’ and crushing the easy dynamics that you have enjoyed so far.
You may be less accessible and disconnected from your teams as you become focused on the bigger picture.
Flitting between meetings with investors, creatives, product designers, lawyers, accountants … the list is exhaustive.
So time for frustrating people problems amongst your teams might not take priority in the grand scheme of your expanding empire, however, you need to appreciate that this underlining friction could erupt at any moment.
The ‘family environment’ may still be a thing, yet suddenly the ‘mother or father figure’ isn’t as present.
When people's issues manifest, as they naturally do with an influx of new team members and personalities as the business grows, the team dynamics change and if you’re not mindful of this, the culture will change too.
Whether you are a young entrepreneur just starting out or a seasoned business owner, you need to be conscious that these frustrating situations can’t be casually dismissed.
If you want to expand with the least resistance from your teams you need to ensure you invest in them and your relationships with them too.
If you want them on your journey with you, make time for them, engage with them and include them. Listen to their concerns and do whatever you can to allay them. If you make a promise to do something, do so with integrity and commitment to it otherwise you will break trust and rapport.
And if you do recruit middle management, take time to ensure they are aligned with you and the values of the business so you reduce the opportunity of personality clashes and conflict arising. And be mindful of onboarding them with time and patience so your teams build rapport and relationships with your new recruit which is paramount to respect and collaboration.
You will be rewarded with an energised and engaged team, a positive attitude with increased performance.
Your teams are the beating heart of your business and need to feel valued and recognised for their contribution and support for you on your exciting journey.
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Nicole Posner, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Nicole is a Communication and Conflict Expert, empowering Leaders and Business Owners to minimise conflict through more effective communication. She supports her clients to successfully navigate difficult conversations with confidence and finesse to create harmonious and thriving workplaces.
As a Consultant, Coach, Workshop Facilitator and accredited Workplace Mediator, she has an interest in the psychology of conflict combined with extensive experience in communications following a background in PR.
Nicole is author of Amazon best-selling book ‘and BREATHE…’ Prevent, Manage and Master Difficult Leadership Conversations in Business and Beyond! She was voted Communication and Conflict Consultant of the Year in the SME News Greater London Enterprise Awards 2022. In 2020 she was a shortlisted finalist in the UK National Mediation Awards.
