Preserve That Early Startup Spirit of Agility and Clarity
When it comes to the art of sharing information and team collaboration, here are some hard earned lessons learned.
In the early stages of a startup, collaboration seems almost effortless. With a small team, everyone is aware of what others are doing, fostering an environment of high transparency and alignment.
However, as startups scale in size and reach, and the number of employees grows towards and beyond the fifty-person mark, the simplicity of communication diminishes.
This shift can lead to significant collaboration challenges that, if not addressed, can stifle company growth and innovation.
Why Keeping Communication Clear Gets Tougher with Scale
Growth is exciting, but scaling a team across different regions and time zones brings challenges. What once was a shout across the room becomes a carefully scheduled Zoom call, and those quick decisions once made at the coffee machine now require formal approvals.
And the biggest pitfall? Redundancies. It’s incredibly frustrating to see multiple talented people unknowingly working on the same issues due to simple miscommunications. The flow of information that once moved so smoothly now hits barriers at every turn.
From my own experience as a startup leader and team member, the struggle is real, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. However, there are several tactical moves I’ve found helpful over the years.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
One of the first steps to cut through the chaos is clearly defining roles and responsibilities. It’s about ensuring everyone knows their part in the orchestra, because without the score, the music won’t sound right.
But beware, the trap many fall into is letting these definitions stagnate. As responsibilities shift and the company evolves, so too must our documentation. We must keep these definitions fresh and aligned with reality, which is no small feat.
Moreover, we need to ensure we don’t create so much bureaucracy that it starts to stifle our agility, which is something that’s easier said than done.
Crafting Clear Communication Channels
The method of communication can often be as important as the message itself. As we grow, we need more than just relying on ad-hoc WhatsApp groups or cluttered email threads.
I suggest a tiered communication strategy that clearly separates strategic, operational, and tactical info. For example:
- Strategic: Reserved for quarterly all-hands or monthly leadership updates.
- Operational: Handled in weekly department calls or through a streamlined project management tool.
- Tactical: Daily stand-ups or dedicated channels in Slack ensure that the immediate, day-to-day issues are swiftly managed.
This structure is an example and should be adapted to your own needs. Remember, you have the power to shape your communication strategies to best suit your team and situation.
What’s Next?
Every startup’s journey from a close-knit team to a large organization is unique and fraught with challenges and learning curves. While there’s no magic formula, staying vigilant about how we communicate and collaborate can make the difference between thriving and floundering.
It’s about preserving that early startup spirit of agility and clarity, even as the waters get more profound and the voyages longer. Overcoming these challenges will not be easy — but it is possible!
I invite you to add the strategies that worked for you.
I’d like to thank Tremis Skeete, Executive Editor of Product Coalition, for his valuable contributions to the editing of this article. I also thank Product Coalition founder Jay Stansell, who has provided a collaborative product management education environment.
