Stop Managing Down, Start Leading Across

There’s a common challenge I see, especially among new leaders: which team do they primarily belong to - Team 1 (their peer group) or Team 2 (their direct reports)? This could be a junior C-suite or a group of managers from tech, marketing and sales coming together to form a unit.

Most tend to default to Team 2. It’s natural - that’s where the work happens, where impact is immediately visible, and where day-to-day problems need solving.

This tendency is especially pronounced in startups. Here, managers are often promoted individual contributors who learned leadership through doing, not training. Team 2 is where they “came” from.

They’re comfortable with the technical aspects and direct management, making Team 2 feel like their natural home.

The reality is that effective leaders primarily belong to Team 1. Your peer group is your primary team, while you serve as a leader to Team 2. This distinction might seem subtle, but it fundamentally changes how organizations operate.

When leaders mistakenly view themselves as primarily belonging to Team 2, several problems emerge. Teams become siloed, developing their own culture and priorities that may not align with broader goals. Information flows vertically but struggles to move horizontally.

Most critically, resources get hoarded rather than shared, and leaders become advocates for their team’s interests rather than organizational needs.

But when leaders embrace their primary belonging to Team 1, organizations develop a multiplier effect.

• Decisions happen faster because your primary team is already aligned on priorities and trade-offs. There’s less back-and-forth, less political maneuvering, and more focus on organizational outcomes.
• When Team 1 is strong, resources flow where they’re needed most. Teams share talent, budget, and tools because their leaders understand they belong to the same primary team.
• Cross-pollination of ideas happens naturally when Team 1 is tight-knit. Best practices spread faster, and problems get solved with diverse perspectives.
• Strong Team 1 relationships cascade down, creating a more unified organizational culture rather than competing subcultures.

Fortunately, there is a set of steps you can take to avoid this happening! The first thing you should look at is your calendar. Schedule Team 1 time first. Before filling your calendar with Team 2 meetings, block regular time with your peers. If you’ve heard of the stones and pebbles concept, your Team 1 meetings are your stones that go into the jar first.

Second, you need to start sharing proactively! Don’t wait for formal meetings or requests for information. The second time someone asks for a number, maybe create a simple dashboard for it? If you notice that you have an OKR that is wrong for this time, send out an email about it and tell your peers what you are going to do about it.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, start building trust. You do this through transparency. Share your challenges openly with Team 1. Team 1 are usually senior people who have been through hard times themselves. Trust them to also want share if they have gone through similar situations.

Getting all three right paradoxically doesn’t create a Team 1 mentality. It creates an “organization first” mentality! The cross-functional nature of Team 1 means that you naturally start thinking about the organisation as a whole. Which is exactly what you want to create the alignment that the company needs to hit all goals.

It’s important to note that I’m not talking about neglecting Team 2. Good leadership requires strong relationships in all directions. But understanding where you primarily belong - with Team 1 - creates the foundation for organizational success.

The challenge is that this shift feels counterintuitive. It’s easier to focus on Team 2 because the impact is immediate and visible. Team 1 relationships require investment without immediate return. But again, this is what is needed for your company to thrive!

Ending this week's writing, I want you to ask yourself: When was the last time you proactively contributed to strengthening Team 1?

Your answers might reveal opportunities to create more organizational impact through stronger peer alignment and a clearer sense of where you truly belong.

Until next time!

/Viktor