One of the things I recently learned through experience is that managers can be divided into two categories:
- Stabilizing Managers: These managers prefer to minimize changes and their goal is to control operations in a consistent and unchanged manner, ensuring stability in the organization or department they are in. They work well in areas such as warehousing, customer support, etc., where processes and routines remain constant. However, utilizing these managers in the strategy and marketing departments can be truly challenging. When confronted with new ideas, they become restless and mentally disturbed. Even if you manage to persuade them reluctantly, they are not genuinely satisfied, and they may show disinterest or resist when it comes to implementation.
If you have a startup or a small business, it’s possible that one of your partners may have this mentality. Well, during the initial stages of a business, when there are numerous changes in business models or the need for new ideas, the presence of such individuals can truly become a challenge.
- Transformative Managers: Unlike stabilizing managers, these individuals seek transformation and improvement of systems and new ideas. They are constantly searching for bringing new markets, products, or processes to the business and fundamentally transforming it. They are energetic and always discussing the future and new solutions.
One of the reasons why I think startup teams fail is because they pay less attention to this factor. Two founders with different mindsets become partners, and in the middle of the journey, they realize that each is moving in a different direction. During this time, the team also faces challenges because they don’t exactly know the founders’ strategies. One day they are focused on stabilizing the business, and the next day they are changing the business model. Consequently, before they can generate revenue, the team falls apart.