How Big Is Your Team

How Big is Your Team? is a frequently asked question in catch-ups that aims to quickly size up your seniority, especially in the professional services space. It has created a false belief for young professionals that larger your team, greater your success.

My 2 cents on whether team size matters in our careers.

1. Career growth happens by creating value that's aligned to org goals, & not based on your team size.

2. Team mgt. is one of the paths in your career, and not the only path. Most org. have a place for senior Individual Contributors (ICs) & those running smaller teams. Making a conscious choice based on your strengths & what drives you is pivotal.

3. Careers are a marathon & not a sprint. It's useful to oscillate b/w an IC role, leading small teams & leading at scale as each of these teach us different skills & have different demands on us. Viewing it as a continuum rather than a irreversible decision helps take the plunge.

4. From an org perspective, it's great to have people who are confident & comfortable to accommodate the org's requirement and pick-up different roles (IC or smaller team) as required. It signals confidence and willingness to partner with the org. that propels your career more than being stuck on leading big.