If you are a manager, you can be far more successful if you ask yourself:
For each project or initiative I’m responsible for, is it in the “figure it out” phase or the “scale” phase? Then, act accordingly:
- Projects in the “figure it out” phase most likely require your direct involvement and detailed attention. A common cause of failure is for managers to delegate responsibility for projects in this phase to people who don’t have the knowledge, creativity and attention to detail to “figure it out”. So ask yourself whether you should delegate this, and if so whether the person you have chosen is capable of figuring it out. Make sure you stay deeply involved.
- For projects in the “scale” phase, focus on setting clear goals and metrics, hiring, and delegating as much as possible. Your job is to replace yourself by hiring people better than you into leadership positions. Don’t let yourself get involved in the tactics of execution.
Notes:
(i) Ali Rowghani divided every startup into one of three phases: Phase 1: Find product-market fit by doing things that don’t scale, Phase 2: Scale by hiring, creating purpose and alignment, and nurturing culture, and Phase 3: Expand horizontally into adjacent products or markets.
(ii) But in any company, irrespective of what stage you are at, there are different projects or initiatives in different phases. If Ali’s advice is correct, then it should apply also to individual initiatives and projects, and can help managers to be radically more effective.
(iii) See The three phases of the life of a startup and thus a founder / CEO’s job.
A Founder's Notebook 