Comments on: People Management: Startup Teams Should Dip but not Skip

By: Joe Doran

Joe Doran — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:48:35 +0000

Great description of the subtle diference in a dip vs skip. The word dip is one directional – down. My experience is you need to reach up 2 levels as well. Especially as a start up CEO so you get a better feel for the mindset and issues your investor brings to the table. In a corporate setting it is just like getting to know what your boss' boss want to make sure you aren't playing telephone.

By: Bernie Daina

Bernie Daina — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:57:43 +0000

sorry for typo, Jaques book is Executive Managerial… (Bernie)

By: Bernie Daina, Ph.D.

Bernie Daina, Ph.D. — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 01:53:35 +0000

Skipping and dipping -- you are sooo right. But there are some "catches." The late Dr. Elliottt Jaques, an organizational psychoanalyst I had the privilege to study with, proved that organizational hierarchies work best if the manager-one-removed (MOU) has good communication with the reports of his/her direct reports. (Jaques' easiest book to read is Expectative Managerial Leadership, with Stephen Clements, Cason Hall Press) So, it's for communication purposes, insight useful trying to equilibrate the impact of his/her subordinate managers ("Gee, why are all of Al's reports trying to transfer to Cindy? is it because Cindy gives higher marks and is more generous with bonuses?"); to be a court of last resort; to help judge how the intervening managers are doing; to gain context for what's going on closer to the ground, etc. But you are right, as Jaques insisted, the purpose is communication, not tasking.. Management by Walking Around (across levels) is a disaster. Communication BWA is useful! Only the direct manager tasks those subordinates, and a higher-level manager tasking them undermines the direct/intermediate manager. Moreover, since this arrangement repeats itself in a parallel way down the hierarchy, it helps ensure that the growing or large organization is more intimate than otherwise. Another consideration: In almost 30 years of consulting to executives. senior teams and investors, especially in emerging-growth companies, I have found that the tricky thing is for the higher-level leader to be mindful that a simple question can derail prioritizes of a subordinate two or more levels removed. The CEO, or any exec, is perceived as a powerful figure. A CEO can walk by a cubicle, sneeze, and the workers there then abandon their assigned tasks and start building a tissue factory. For this reason, it's always best to keep the intervening manager in the loop. Communication, per se, between MOU and people two levels down in the hierarchy, should be accepted a normal and welcome. Obviously, there are certain additional protocols when the MOU is approached because the intervening manager is perceived as abusive, unfair or harassing. Regards, Bernie Daina, Ph.D., Consulting Management and Organizational Psychologist, go2daina@aol.com 303-596-6640

By: neuromantrice

neuromantrice — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:58:36 +0000

Nice topic, nice article!

Some projects require *fast* decision making though, when spending too much time digging into the details could lead to failure.

By: SD

SD — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:27:19 +0000

I have observed that companies often build informal organizations around “new hills to climb” (new customers, new products, new businesses, etc.) –

While the formal organizations are around business units or functional expertise, the informal, project-based organizations allow healthy companies to break down silos, while respecting people's specialties and expertise.

By: Keenan

Keenan — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:43:01 +0000

I like that, you could call it lifting.

By: msuster

msuster — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 06:22:33 +0000

Good addition – I like it. Thank you.

By: SD

SD — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:14:03 +0000

this is an excellent post… dipping =good, skipping = toxic…that said –

I would suggest that pulling top junior talent up to work on special projects (with the knowledge and permission of that person's manager) can be very useful in certain circumstances.

It helps to identify and stretch junior level employees, and to give top talent exposure at a more senior level than they otherwise would. This is much different from “skipping” but it does show a certain healthy irreverence for “heirearchies”.

By: jonathanjaeger

jonathanjaeger — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 02:11:47 +0000

I agree. The part that resonated more with me is the section on understanding aspects of other people's jobs within your company (e.g. knowing the difference between MySQL, Oracle, and Postgres databases). Maybe it could also lead into a discussion about having empathy for employees in your company whose jobs you can't exactly replicate yourself if you don't have the proper skill set.

By: msuster

msuster — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 01:57:34 +0000

Thanks, Phil.