"Managing" and "planning" are distinct activities, and then there are a bunch of sub-activities that make up either.
In a 5-person startup team, you should spend virtually no time telling people what to do (i.e micromanaging). They should be able to figure that out for themselves. If they can't, you're probably screwed.
But there's a lot of work involved in figuring out customer requirements, breaking down those requirements into tasks that have to be done, covering bases that would otherwise be forgotten, and generally fretting so your team doesn't have to. If you're taking care of that so the rest of the team can worry about the low-level details of getting stuff done, that's valuable, and it's not unreasonable to expect that to take up 2/3 of a person in a 5-person team.
"If you're taking care of that so the rest of the team can worry about the low-level details of getting stuff done, that's valuable, and it's not unreasonable to expect that to take up 2/3 of a person in a 5-person team."
- THANKS a lot! that is enormously helpful and concise. Now I am kinda feeling better. =)
In a 5-person startup team, you should spend virtually no time telling people what to do (i.e micromanaging). They should be able to figure that out for themselves. If they can't, you're probably screwed.
But there's a lot of work involved in figuring out customer requirements, breaking down those requirements into tasks that have to be done, covering bases that would otherwise be forgotten, and generally fretting so your team doesn't have to. If you're taking care of that so the rest of the team can worry about the low-level details of getting stuff done, that's valuable, and it's not unreasonable to expect that to take up 2/3 of a person in a 5-person team.