When it comes to growing and scaling businesses, effective leadership is a non-negotiable asset. Whether you’re driving a startup, navigating the complexities of a mid-market company, or scaling up a burgeoning enterprise, the decision of when to hire a (or your next) manager is crucial. A manager can be the linchpin that ensures your GTM strategies are executed flawlessly, and your teams are productive. But how do you know when it’s the right time to bring one on board?

Understanding the GTM Landscape

Before diving into the specifics of hiring a manager, it’s essential to understand the unique challenges and dynamics of GTM teams. GTM strategies involve the synchronized efforts of marketing, sales, customer success, and product development teams. Effective coordination among these teams can be the difference between a successful product launch and a missed opportunity.

Signs It’s Time to Hire a Manager

1. Overwhelmed Leadership: If you, as a GTM leader, find yourself buried under day-to-day operational tasks, it might be time to hire a manager. Delegating these responsibilities allows you to focus on strategic initiatives, such as market expansion, customer acquisition, and product innovation.
2. Team Growth: Rapid team growth is a clear indicator that you need more structured management. When your team size increases, the complexity of managing it does too. A manager can help maintain order, ensure consistent communication, and foster a productive work environment. I can’t stress this enough – don’t wait until you’ve grown the team to hire a manager. Bring them on early, and give them a chance to ramp while playing a role in hiring decisions. I’ve missed the mark on this before, and the next several months were painful.
3. Decreased Performance and Morale: If your team’s performance metrics are declining or if there’s a noticeable dip in morale, it could be a sign that they need more hands-on leadership and guidance. A manager can provide the support and motivation your team needs to get back on track.
4. Operational Inefficiencies: Are projects getting delayed? Are there frequent miscommunications or overlaps in responsibilities? These are signs of operational inefficiencies that a manager can help streamline. They can implement processes and systems that enhance productivity and ensure that your GTM initiatives run smoothly.
5. Lack of Accountability: In larger teams, it’s easy for accountability to get diluted. A manager can establish clear roles and responsibilities, ensuring that everyone knows what’s expected of them and that they are held accountable for their performance.

Manager vs. Team Lead: What’s the Difference?

Understanding the difference between a manager and a team lead is crucial in making the right hiring decision. Both roles are vital, but they serve different purposes and have distinct responsibilities.

Manager

Simply put – the Manager owns the number. They’re responsible for hitting your lead target, revenue target, onboarding target, retention target, etc. They do this by constantly looking for ways to improve performance, through people management and programs.

Key Responsibilities of a Manager:

• Strategic Planning: Setting long-term goals and developing plans to achieve them.
• Resource Allocation: Managing budgets, staffing, and other resources to optimize team performance.
• Performance Management: Conducting 1-1s, performance reviews, providing feedback, and facilitating professional development.
• Decision Making: Making decisions that align with organizational objectives and impact overall business operations.
• Problem Solving: Addressing and resolving complex issues that arise within the team or department.

Team Lead

A team lead, on the other hand, is more focused on the day-to-day and the immediate needs of their team. Sometimes they are fully fledged ‘leaders’ (ie: ‘Management’ on the HR leveling guide), but usually they are a senior individual contributor who formally helps mentor and coach others on the team. Team leads are often seen as mentors and coaches who provide technical guidance, realtime skills feedback, and support to their team members. This role is typically a stepping stone on the career path to manager.

Key Responsibilities of a Team Lead:

• Daily Operations: Overseeing the daily activities of the team to ensure productivity.
• Technical Guidance: Providing expertise and support on specific tasks or projects.
• Mentorship: Supporting team members’ professional growth and development.
• Problem Resolution: Addressing immediate issues and obstacles that team members face.
• Management Advice: Sounding board for managers who want to better understand a problem that needs to be solved, or provide feedback on an idea before implementation.

How to Hire the Right Manager

Hiring the right manager requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. If hiring the wrong IC (individual contributor) can set you back months, the wrong leader can set you back quarters.

1. Define the Role Clearly

Before you start the hiring process, clearly define the role and responsibilities of the manager. Understand what skills and experience are necessary for the position and what you expect them to achieve.

2. Look for Relevant Experience

Seek candidates with relevant experience in managing GTM teams or similar roles. They should have a track record of successfully delivering results in a fast-paced environment. Note that I said “successfully delivering results” and not just “successfully leading teams”. Some of the best leaders I’ve hired have been internal promotions from Team Lead into Manager. They know the product, know the teams, have already garnered respect from their peers across the company, and are hungry for the opportunity. No one has management experience until they have management experience.

3. Assess Leadership Skills

Leadership skills are crucial for a manager. Look for candidates who can demonstrate strong leadership abilities, including the ability to motivate and inspire their team, analyze and act on data, make strategic decisions, and handle conflicts effectively.

4. Organizational Fit

Ensure that the candidate aligns with your company values. Values, not just culture. Candidates who believe in the companies values will create the culture you’re looking for. They’ll drive performance and accountability, while being empathetic. They’ll hire future ICs who live your values. They’ll set the tone for what ‘great’ looks like across the organization. Simply put, they’ll make your company better.

5. Conduct Thorough Interviews

We could (and probably will at some point) have a full article dedicated to interviewing for various roles, but for now let’s stick to: use a comprehensive interview process to assess the candidate’s skills, experience, and fit for the role. Include behavioral and situational questions to understand how they handle various challenges and scenarios. Bring in other current managers or team leads into the process. Include peers in partner teams. Be thorough, but never forget that interviews are two sided – the candidate is interviewing you as much as you’re interviewing them.

Wrap Up

In the dynamic world of GTM strategies, hiring a manager can be a game-changer for your organization. Recognizing the signs that indicate it’s time to bring a manager on board and understanding the difference between a manager and a team lead are crucial steps in making the right decision. Sometimes you need one, sometimes you need both (I tend to believe you always want a team lead assigned to a manager’s team). Either way, carefully evaluate your needs and follow a strategic hiring process, and you will find the right leader to foster your teams to success. Just don’t wait too long!

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