The biggest mistake that e-commerce companies are most likely to make: training grassroots managers to become middle managers

Have you ever wondered why someE-commerceThe harder the team tries, the more they fail? The answer is simple:Because they try to train the grassroots to become the middle level. It sounds reasonable, but in reality, it may be the biggest pitfall in your career.

Why? Next, I will take you to dig deeper into the essence of this issue.

The difference in capabilities between grassroots and middle-level managers

In traditional enterprises, the grassroots level is usually the "cradle" of the middle level. Through experience accumulation and hard work, grassroots employees are gradually promoted to middle-level positions.

The demands of middle-level managers in the e-commerce industry are completely different. The execution capabilities at the grassroots level cannot be directly converted into strategic capabilities at the middle level.

The grassroots focus on execution.What is execution? Clear processes, clear tasks, and completing goals step by step.

These abilities are extremely important at the grassroots level, but at the middle level, they are far from enough.

The core competencies that middle managers need to possess are:strategic ability, which requires logical thinking, innovative ability and a global perspective.

What is strategic ability? It is not something you can acquire simply by working hard.

simply put,Strategy is the ability to research, improve and raise standards.

For example, if the task of the grassroots is to produce the main picture, the questions that the middle level needs to think about are:How can I double the click-through rate of the main image? What is the method? What data can support my decision?

The two seem related, but they are completely different in nature.

You can ask a grassroots employee to work overtime, work hard, and desperately complete a task, but you cannot ask them to think about strategic issues in the same way.

Why? Because strategy does not require overtime, but thinking ability. And many people are born without this ability.

Basic working logic: single-threaded mode

Grassroots work is more like a machine on an assembly line. The tasks are clearly assigned and they just need to follow the steps to complete them. They focus on "how to do it" rather than "why to do it". For example:

• Base layer:Uploaded 100 products today, mission accomplished.
• Middle level:How to optimize the upload process to increase efficiency by 30%?

This is the difference.The grassroots only need to do their own job well, while the middle level needs to break the routine and optimize the process.

Why can’t mid-level managers be trained? Relying on recruitment screening

The capabilities of middle-level e-commerce managers rely more on talent and experience rather than acquired training.

Many e-commerce bigwigs have long discovered that the most effective way to acquire mid-level talent isPrecision recruitmentRather than internal training.

As one comment said:

"Most of the middle managers are selected from the recruitment process. Talents cannot be cultivated, but can only be selected and guided."

This is a very accurate statement! It is much more efficient to select people with strategic thinking, let them directly take on middle-level work, and complete the transition through proper guidance than to spend several years training them from the grassroots level.

How to distinguish the core capabilities of grassroots and middle-level managers?

Capability model at the grassroots level:

• Strong execution: Obey arrangements and complete tasks.
• Process Dependency：Follow the established steps and execute in a standardized manner.
• Repetitive work: Pay more attention to "quantity" and the work is mechanized.

Mid-level capability model:

• Strong strategic capabilities: Study problems and discover solutions.
• Independent thinking: Ability to think outside the box and solve problems creatively.
• Results-oriented: Focus on "quality" and pursue efficiency and innovation.

These differences in ability determineThe core of the middle level is not execution, but thinking.

Case: Basic and middle-level logic of main image optimization

Let us illustrate this with a specific example.

• Base layer:Today's goal is to complete 10 main picture designs.
• Middle level:Why do these main images have low click-through rates? We need to investigate where the problem lies. Is it because the colors are not attractive enough, orCopywritingNo highlights? How to adjust?

The job of the grassroots is to complete the task, while the job of the middle level is to make the taskMore valuable.

What is the best structure for an e-commerce team?

To avoid the mistake of "cultivating the bottom layer to become the middle layer", the best structure of the e-commerce team should be as follows:

1. Clarify rolesPositioning : The grassroots are responsible for execution and completing clear tasks; the middle level is responsible for formulating strategies and optimizing resource allocation.
2. Focus on mid-level screening: Find people with strategic capabilities through recruitment, don't expect to train them step by step from the grassroots.
3. Forming a virtuous circle: Optimize strategies at the middle level and efficiently execute at the grassroots level, doubling the overall team efficiency.

My opinion: The middle level of e-commerce is the key, not the process

To do e-commerce well, team structure is crucial. The choice of middle-level managers directly determines how high your business ceiling is. Grassroots managers are important, but middle-level managers are the helmsmen who lead the direction.

The e-commerce industry is changing rapidly and the competition is fierce. You need strategy, not simple execution. This means that it is better to directly introduce suitable talents and use their strategic capabilities to bring actual growth to the team instead of training mid-level managers.

Conclusion

In the field of e-commerce, making mistakes is not a terrible thing, what is terrible is making the same mistakes over and over again. It is a common but fatal mistake to train grassroots to become middle-level managers. Understanding the difference between grassroots and middle-level managers and building a reasonable team structure can help your business develop rapidly.

remember,The value of the middle level lies in strategy, not execution. Starting today, reflect on your team structure and find the right mid-level talent. This is the key to winning the market.

What are you waiting for? Adjust your team strategy immediately and let everyone shine in the right position!