⚙️ Ops Playbook #60

Manage up like a pro, lead your team effectively, and organize work with Kanban.

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You spoke, we listened. Last week’s poll told us you wanted to learn more about management, so that's what we're tackling today.

Whether you're trying to impress your boss, lead your team better, or just get organized, we've got you covered.

Here’s what we’ve got going on:

  • Managing Up 101 → How to craft the perfect message to your manager…

  • How to Get the Best Out of Your Team → A chart to make things easy

  • A Deep Dive into Kanban Boards → Tips and templates for getting started

Ready? Let’s dive in 👇

P.S. No one wants to build solo. Let’s connect

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Operator’s Library

  • How to course correct your team before a crisis (Dan Hock)

  • Advanced time management principles for managers and leaders (Shreyas Doshi)

  • The 15 best project management software options (Ben Aston)

  • Why scope creep is dangerous and how to avoid it (Jory MacKay)

I. Managing Up 101

Insight from Wes Kao

Let's talk about managing up. I just saw a great example of this on LinkedIn.

A team member sent Wes Kao a model example of clear communication via Slack.

Here's why it worked:

  1. Deadlines for everything. You know exactly when stuff's due.

  2. All info in one place. No hunting through docs or emails.

  3. Clear priorities. They even pointed out what's not urgent.

  4. Easy-to-click links. Makes reviewing a breeze.

As a result, Wes knocked out all the tasks in 24 hours. 

That's managing up 101: Make it dead simple for your boss to help you.

Think about it. Your manager's juggling a ton. If you can package your needs in a way that's easy to act on, you're more likely to get what you want, fast.

Managing up isn't about kissing up. It's about being so good at communicating that you make everyone's job smoother - including yours.

II. Your First Kanban Board

Insight from Launch Notes

Last week we touched on using Kanban boards as part of our Value Stream Mapping exercise. Let's dig into that a bit more.

Kanban boards help you see your work laid out. Think of a digital whiteboard with columns: "To Do," "Doing," and "Done." You write tasks on sticky notes and move them across. 

It's a way to track what's happening without a bunch of meetings (you can see why I’m a fan 😎).

I've been using a Kanban in Notion for a while now. Here's what I've learned:

  1. Add a "Stuck" column. It shows what's held up and why.

  2. Use color-coding. I mark urgent stuff in red, new ideas in blue, and bugs in orange. Makes it easy to spot what needs attention without reading every card. It's like a visual shorthand for our team.

  3. Time your tasks. See how long things take from start to finish. It helps find slow spots.

I check mine every week to see what's working and what's not. It's not set-it-and-forget-it.

Want to try it? Here’s an entire Notion database of templates you can try, and they work for all kinds of teams - ops, marketing, whatever you do.

One last thing: Kanban is all about the pull system. It's key.

Instead of piling on new work, you only start new tasks when you finish old ones. It's like restocking groceries - you don't add more until there's space on the shelf.

This keeps your workflow smooth and stops you from getting swamped.

It's tough at first, but stick with it. You'll see the difference.

III. Getting the Best Out of Your Team

Insight from Delian Asparouhov

Let's talk about getting the best from your team. I stumbled on this framework from Keith Rabois (ex Paypal/Square & partner at Founders Fund) that's pretty useful.

First off, ask yourself: If their life depended on it, could they do the job? 

If yes, it's on you to motivate them better. Usually, that means showing them why their work matters.

If they couldn't do it even then, that's on you for expecting too much. It's about what we call "task-relevant maturity" - basically, how much experience they have with the task.

Your management style should change based on their experience. 

New to the task? Micromanage away. 

Done it a million times? Back off and just check in.

Delian Asparouhov shared this neat chart that breaks it down 👇

  • Low consequences, low conviction? Delegate fully.

  • High conviction but low consequences? Let them do their thing. They might surprise you.

  • High consequences? Either step in and decide, or dig for more info.

The trick is giving people leeway when the stakes are low. That's how they learn and grow.

I learned this the hard way. My boss let me handle a big negotiation. I blew it spectacularly. But you know what? A few months later, I nailed one on my own. 

Sometimes you gotta fail to learn.

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Later,

Rameel from The Bottleneck

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