team, co-founder, managementI have 2 start ups that I’m working on simultaneously, in one I have around 5 co-founders in the other 3. Now managing them seems to be a hectic task, pushing them seems to be too desperate and if I don’t push them it may lead to delay in projects and increase in establishment time. In both cases the members are friends who have technical skill sets and here I have no technical skill whatsoever.
I need tips or tricks with which I can grab there attention but also does not make them feel that they are being pushed too much. For example, tried the treat trick on them (treat on completion of project) and even the incentive trick but no positive response. Need something more effective than these so called “cheap tricks”.
You sound like the boss from hell. Who has 5 co-founders anyway, that’s not reasonable. By “co-founder”, I suspect you mean free labor?
Engineers would rather be left alone and make progress by themselves. Are you the one who is too impatient? Do they believe in the product and the company or not?
If you really want to help, line up customers and show them that their hard work will not be for nothing.
I guess there is a lot of advice out there on managing people, and I don’t think start-up teams are any different, so that advice probably applies just the same. For starters, focus on finding out what drives them and why they are working with you in first place, and then help them see a path how they can accomplish their goals. It’s not about pushing or directing them, it’s about motivating them to do the right thing.
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin
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