Show Notes:

Mathooshan Manoharan talks about his time at Umbrex role and upcoming business school plans. Mathooshan shares his initial lack of business background and management skills when he joined Umbrex. Mathooshan explains his coffee chat strategy, including reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn and refining his message approach through A/B testing.

The Coffee Chats Initiative

Mathooshan details his experience with coffee chats, starting with over 150 and now over 400. He describes the types of coffee chats he had, including both virtual and in-person meetings. Mathooshan explains how he initially reached out to people on LinkedIn and refined his message to increase response rates. He talks about the importance of initiative and how anyone can replicate Mathooshan's approach.

Learning from Coffee Chats

Mathooshan shares that he didn't initially document his coffee chats but started after a conversation with Will. He created a spreadsheet to track response rates, positions, and sources of contacts. Mathooshan mentions the importance of follow-up calls and how he leveraged initial contacts to make more introductions. He discusses the value of documenting and learning from these interactions.

The First Lesson

Mathooshan outlines his first lesson: the importance of creating a project tracker to avoid forgetting tasks. He describes how he developed a system using checklists, notifications, and alerts in their CRM. Will shares his own experience of learning the same lesson in the Navy. Mathooshan emphasizes the need for a structured approach to manage tasks effectively.

Prioritization and Focus

Mathooshan discusses the second lesson: the importance of prioritization and focus blocking. He explains how he initially struggled with shiny object syndrome and the need to prioritize tasks. Mathooshan describes how he started blocking time in his calendar for specific tasks and aligning priorities. They discuss the importance of setting clear expectations and managing workload effectively.

Managing Upwards

Mathooshan shares the third lesson: the importance of managing upwards and being pleasantly persistent. He explains how he learned to follow up effectively and make it easy for Will to respond. Mathooshan discusses the concept of "unless otherwise directed" (UOD) and how it helped him take initiative. Will and Mathooshan emphasize the importance of making it easy for managers to approve or correct tasks.

Learning from Mistakes

Mathooshan introduces the fourth lesson: the importance of learning from mistakes. He explains how he started a lessons learned sheet to document mistakes and their context. Mathooshan describes the root cause analysis he implemented to address the root causes of mistakes. Will and Mathooshan discuss the importance of systemic changes to prevent recurring mistakes.

Team Management

Mathooshan transitions to lessons learned in team management. He shares his initial overconfidence in managing a team and the challenges he faced. Mathooshan explains the importance of providing clarity, checkpoints, and systems for his team. Will and Mathooshan discuss the need for effective communication and support in team management.

Trusting the Team

Mathooshan introduces the fifth lesson: the importance of trust but verify in team management. He shares an example of a project where he trusted his team too much and the consequences. Mathooshan emphasizes the need for regular check-ins and spot checks to ensure tasks are on track. The conversation turns to the balance between trusting the team and maintaining oversight.

Empowering the Team

Mathooshan shares the sixth lesson: the importance of empowering the team. He explains how he initially had an individual contributor mindset and the need to change it. Mathooshan discusses the importance of explaining the "why" behind tasks and providing guidance. Will and Mathooshan emphasize the long-term benefits of empowering the team through training and support.

Timestamps:

02:54: Effective Coffee Chat Techniques

05:24: Documenting and Learning from Coffee Chats

07:53: Lessons in Self-Management

10:32: Prioritization and Focus Blocking

13:11: Managing Upwards and Being Pleasantly Persistent

15:46: Never Waste a Good Mistake

18:38: Transitioning to Team Management

21:27: Trust but Verify

23:49: Empowering the Team

Links:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathooshan-manoharan/

Substack: https://mathooshan.substack.com/

This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-648-mathooshan-manoharan-from-individual-contributor-to-manager-lessons-learned-at-umbrex/

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

*AI generated timestamps and show notes.