Report, Relax, Repeat - Best Management

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Nov 19, 2024

This week, three entrepreneurs vented to me about their management struggles. So, without skipping a beat, here we are.

I'm a big believer in managing through writing. In other words, putting your thoughts, challenges, and vision down on paper to make them real. Heck, that's probably why this newsletter exists in the first place...

So, I've always used the same management style with my teams: management by report.

Management by Report

Here’s the deal: to move fast and go big, you need to know where you're going and how you're getting there. Easy when it's just two or three of you, but once you hit five or more, even Monday morning meetings start to feel like trying to herd cats.

So I came up with management by reporting. The concept is simple: every Friday, each team member writes up a short report using a Tally form. It automatically sends a summary to them and their manager.

Why? It helps everyone recap their week and gives managers a clear overview so they can plan the week ahead without playing detective. Let me break it down...

The Report: 3 Simple Parts

The Wins:
Start off with the wins, big or small, bullet-point style. This is your moment to give yourself a little pat on the back, even if it's just for finally clearing out your inbox. Plus, it kicks things off on a high note. 🎉
The Challenges:
Where there are wins, there are usually some bumps in the road. This is where you list out what didn’t go so smoothly and why.
For example:
Struggling to find a venue for the LP event → budget's too tight

The point? Laying everything out helps you see the bigger picture, and it also gives your manager something to work with. If budget is the issue, they’ll know and can step in to fix it. Plus, it’s nice to have someone else worry about that, right?
Next Week’s To-Do List:
End-of-week means planning for the next. Jotting down your to-do list lets you head into the weekend with a clear mind, no nagging “Did I forget something?” vibes. And it keeps your manager in the loop, so they can adjust your workload if needed.

Back to our event example: your manager spots the budget issue, pings you, asks how much extra you need, and boom! Problem solved.

One Last Thing, But It’s a Good One…

Depending on your management style, you might also want to ask for an overall emotional check-in for the week. Not a therapy session, but a quick gauge: was it stressful, exhausting, exciting, energizing? It pushes people to reflect and makes communication easier. As a manager, it helps you fine-tune and make sure everyone’s in a good place.

And there you have it, a foolproof way to scale your management while keeping it human. But hey, don’t forget: writing isn’t a substitute for talking. It’s those reports that’ll set the stage for more meaningful conversations with your teams and let you tackle the real stuff.

On that note, I’m out. Have an awesome week ahead!

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