The Reality Of Leading Tiny Teams
I’ve been leading tiny teams for some time, and I presently lead a small band of tiny teams. A few enthusiastic people who are trying to use the little resources we have to command big results.
And it’s not easy!
It could be challenging and draining!
Modern leadership looks different today. We now have leaders leading ever smaller teams of people who share their dreams and visions.
Thanks to digital media technology, which is making it super easy for a few people to do the work of a hundred. Smaller teams are becoming the norm, and leaders in the healthcare ecosystem are emerging, leading small teams to build NGOs, communities, healthcare brands, and even startups that are making big impacts.
Tiny teams have their advantages and disadvantages. There’s the beauty of closer relationships with your team members, faster decision-making and a deeper sense of ownership that’s hard to replicate in large organisations. But on the flip side, there’s also the exhaustion of doing too much, the absence of buffers, the constant need to balance vision with execution, and the ever-present challenge of managing a finite supply of resources.
The truth? Managing a tiny team is an art—one that blends focus, empathy, and structure.
Below are seven practical lessons to help you thrive in this unique leadership space.
If you’re a leader leading small teams like me, then you want to pay close attention.
Lead By Clarity, Not Control
When your team is small, every decision counts.
There’s no room for mixed messages or hidden expectations.
Clarity—not control—should be your leadership compass.
Be transparent about what matters most each week.
Keep meetings short but purposeful. I usually ensure our meetings don’t exceed 20 minutes at a stretch, and we only hold meetings when it’s extremely important.
Ensure every team member understands why their contribution matters to the mission.
Clarity is only possible where there’s clear communication. Where everyone knows and understands what’s expected of them.
Micromanagement kills initiative. Don’t micromanage. Let them make mistakes (which they will always do, especially if you’re leading volunteers or less experienced team members), and when they do, correct them as a leader.
Clarity creates confidence. And it’s way easier to drive your vision to the peak on the shoulders of confident team members.
Embrace Multiplying Roles—Without Overstretching
In small teams, job titles blur! In fact, there aren’t really job titles.
The marketer doubles as a strategist.
The founder might handle customer support and web management.
The writer designs social posts.
That’s okay—it’s how small teams move fast.
But leaders must monitor the thin line between flexibility and fatigue.
Rotate roles occasionally.
Ask team members where they feel overextended. Encourage ownership without overburdening.
A team that embraces adaptability—while staying supported—becomes unstoppable.
Prioritise Energy, Not Just Efficiency
Tiny teams run on people energy, not just only systems. When morale drops, performance follows.
Check in often—not just on deliverables, but on how your team feels.
I try to have regular one-on-one interactions with everyone on my team. We won’t just talk about the brand; we talk about personal issues—school, family, work, individual projects, challenges, etc.
You may be paying them, but that does not mean they aren’t human beings that have lives outside your brand or business.
It’s not just about you!
It’s about them, and when they see that you genuinely care about them, they are motivated to give more.
Celebrate progress, however small. Make appreciation public and personal.
Efficiency matters, but energy sustains.
Build Processes That Support, Not Suffocate
Even small teams need structure—but not the kind that slows innovation. I learnt this late, and I don’t want you to be like me.
Create very simple structures that can easily change, adapt, and evolve where necessary.
Nothing is set in stone.
If it’s slow and stifling innovation and creativity, it has to change —fast!
This is what makes a small team efficient. Whereas with big teams, it can take months, and sometimes years, to change structures and processes.
Document only what’s essential: workflows, approvals, and communication norms.
Keep these systems light and flexible enough to evolve.
Processes should enable creativity, not limit it.
Think of them as rails guiding a train, not walls boxing it in.
Communicate Like You’re Scaling
Startups and small teams often fail to scale because their early communication habits don’t evolve.
Communication is the red blood cell of small teams. Without it, the team will starve and die soon.
Even in a two-person team, practice good habits early: write things down, track progress visibly, and clarify who owns what.
These small habits build “organisational memory”—the foundation for future growth.
If your team grows tomorrow, these systems will help you onboard smoothly instead of starting from scratch.
I used to be very bad with team communication. I would do things before letting the team know about what we were doing, and over time, I discovered it was hurting the team. I had to change and started taking communication more seriously.
Protect Time For Strategy
Small teams easily get trapped in the daily grind. As a leader, your job isn’t just to do—it’s to think ahead.
Block out at least one hour weekly to reflect:
- What’s working?
- What’s draining our energy?
- What should we stop doing next week?
That reflection time keeps your team aligned with the bigger picture—and prevents burnout from endless busyness without real results!
Spend time on the right things that contribute to brand growth.
Lead With Humanity
In a small team, relationships are everything. Trust becomes your strongest asset! This is where most leaders leading small teams get it wrong.
They don’t understand that it’s easier to create trust in smaller teams, and when your team members trust you, they give more!
Lead with empathy: listen before you correct, ask before you assume, and appreciate before you demand.
Remember—in a small circle, your tone, attitude, and consistency set the culture.
When people feel seen, they give their best. When they feel disposable, they withdraw—even in teams of three.
Leverage Technology
Many repetitive tasks can be done by technology or artificial intelligence, many!
Leverage tech to free up team energy and direct it to other core issues that demand more human attention.
In your marketing, branding, product, etc., look for tasks AI or tech can easily handle so people can focus on thinking, creating, and doing their best work.
Make automation your friend and master it.
Final Thoughts: Small Team, Big Impact
Leading a tiny team isn’t about having fewer people; it’s about creating more impact with intention.
It demands clarity over chaos, care over control, and purpose over pressure.
When you lead this way, your team becomes more than a group of people doing tasks—it becomes a unit bound by belief and driven by shared success.
Because in the end, great leadership isn’t measured by how many you lead—but by how well you lead those you have.
And for leaders like myself in Africa, leading small teams, you may have in your hands one of the greatest leadership tools—a small group of young people who believe in your vision and are ready to follow your mission.
In Africa’s growing modern healthcare ecosystem, many leaders are now leading small teams of 2, 3, or 4 people working towards building a shared vision, and they need all the support they can get.
Take the tips I’ve shared here and apply them to your leadership strategy, and watch your team start to give you its best.
And if you want to scale your media strategy, reach out to us so we can explore how we can work together.
Check out our media consulting services here.
We offer media services to help small and medium-sized healthcare brands in Africa grow. Our strategy involves building a strong bond with your existing team and working together to fulfil your brand goals.
Reach out now, let’s build together.
