10 Principles for PMs and Lead | 매거진에 참여하세요

10 Things Every PM or Team Lead Should Know in a Small, Hands-On Team

Because in small teams, leadership means rolling up your sleeves.

In early-stage startups, side projects, or small creative teams,

being a PM or team lead doesn’t mean just assigning tasks and managing dashboards.

It often means being the busiest person in the room—juggling strategy, execution, communication, and firefighting, sometimes all in a single day.

This is especially true in teams of five or fewer, where leaders are not just managers, but also builders.

Here are ten hard-earned lessons that every PM or team lead juggling hands-on work and leadership should keep in mind.

1. Prioritization Isn’t Optional. It’s Survival.

When everything feels urgent, the most valuable thing you can do is focus on what’s important. Not every fire is worth putting out first.
Start with what can break the project, not just what’s loud.

Think risk-first, not noise-first.

2. Don’t Carry Everything Yourself

The temptation in a small team is: “I’ll just do it, it’s faster.”
But if you become the bottleneck, your busyness becomes the blocker.
Your job is to delegate and trust—even if it’s imperfect.

A delayed project because you were too busy is a leadership red flag.

3. Separate “Your Tasks” from “Team Momentum”

When you're deep in your own to-dos, it's easy to lose sight of how the whole team is moving.
Every day, even for 10 minutes, step out of your task list and zoom out.

Ask yourself: is the team stuck somewhere I’m not looking?

4. Process Should Be Light, Not Fancy

Sure, you love Notion or Jira—but if your process slows the team down, it’s not working.
Keep systems simple, clear, and only as strict as necessary.

If it doesn’t help the work move forward, cut it.

5. Don’t Assume “Everyone Gets It”

Small teams often feel “tight-knit.” But that doesn’t mean mind-reading is a communication style.
Be explicit—about changes, delays, expectations. Say it in words, not just vibes.

The fewer the people, the more precise the communication should be.

6. Fix the Environment Before You Fix the Person

Sometimes a team member is underperforming not because they lack skill—but because they lack tools, access, or clarity.
Before giving feedback, check: is the environment setting them up to win?

Set up, don’t just step in.

7. You’ll Make Mistakes—Accept It, Share It, Recover Fast

Trying to manage and execute perfectly at the same time? You’ll fail sometimes. That’s okay.
The key is owning your mistakes openly and correcting quickly.

Real leadership isn’t about being flawless—it’s about being accountable.

8. Test If the Team Can Run Without You

If your absence stalls the team, that’s a problem.
Try disappearing for 48 hours. Does the work still move?
If not, invest in documentation, delegation, and decision autonomy.

Great teams survive the weekend without their lead.

9. Tune Into Team Vibes—Not Just Output

In a small team, a single person’s burnout or frustration can tilt the entire mood.
Pay attention to subtle signals—energy drops, repeat blockers, unspoken tensions.

Culture doesn’t collapse from KPIs. It collapses from silence.

10. Choose Survival Over Perfection

Especially in early-stage projects, the goal isn’t a flawless launch.
It’s about showing up, shipping small, learning fast, and staying alive.

Small wins beat big plans that never ship.

Final Thought: Lead So the Team Can Outgrow You

A small team PM is not just a manager or contributor. You’re a coach, planner, therapist, and strategist—sometimes all before noon.

But in the end, your true role is to build a system that survives without you.
That means you can take a step back—and the team keeps building forward.

That’s leadership that scales.