Digital Practitioner to Digital Manager - Herdy Ramanuj

We support people to take the next step in their careers and we hear more and more about the challenges of stepping up. We spoke to Herdy Ramanuj about his change from Digital Practitioner to Digital Manager.

Herdy has over 6 years of experience and is and currently Head of Paid Social for Manchester-based agency, Return. He has progressed through the ranks and now leads a team and develops strategy for clients across a multitude of industries including fashion, interior design, travel, hobbies & crafts and finance.  

What are the biggest changes you have experienced in becoming a manager from working on your own digital actions?
One of the biggest changes you face is that you no longer see yourself as one entity. The minute you start to manage other people, you see yourself as more than just an individual delivering campaigns, you see yourself as a collective. You are responsible for the team and everyone in it, productivity, output, culture and even wellness; these are all aspects that make up the multi pillared manager you've become! Another change is you start to feel the weight of the organisation more heavily. You begin to look holistically at the impact of the actions of your team and yourself, but prior the only impact one could control was the performance of our campaigns, but now our actions directly lead to the commercial wellbeing of the agency! 

Have you made any sacrifices?
Sacrifices? Well, it depends on what type of leader/manager you want to be. We all sacrifice one thing or another but the difference has to be that the sacrifice is worth it. I'm a naturally social person, in fact, I could go as far as to say that I crave social situations. However, I learnt from my mentor, that to lead effectivity there must be a boundary between the manager and those that are being managed. I rarely socialise with my team outside of work, barring organisation events. To some, this may seem extreme, but again I ask, what type of leader do you want to be? Another worthy sacrifice is time. You sacrifice a lot of it, to get you and the team, to where it needs to be. However, that should come as no surprise. 

What have been the challenges?
All roles are challenging, without challenge, there is no growth. Initially, composure was a big development opportunity for me. More specifically, keeping composure when things go wrong or when disciplining team members, I stride ahead of where I use to be but there is always room for improvement. One thing that is overlooked, when managing, is that often people assume that as you step up you no longer have to deal with the day-to-day management of accounts. Yes, you no longer sit in campaigns and optimise, however, your responsibility now falls across the entire client portfolio ensuring the team adheres to best practice, KPIs are met, clients are happy and performance is strong. Whilst also keeping your delivery skills one step ahead of the team. Remember, just because you may not be delivering channel activity as much as you were, if something goes wrong, you will be first in the firing line. 

What have been the benefits and what do you enjoy about managing?
I've yet to find a greater feeling than the pride you feel from seeing a member of your team grow and develop based on your tutelage. It's a feeling that is equal to none, to know that you are responsible for the bettering of an individual and seeing said individual thrive, is what will keep you hooked in management for years to come. It's also worth noting that the experience and intelligence you gain from leading a team is not restricted to purely management, but you'll find that one’s channel knowledge also strengthens.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about taking the step up?
Ask yourself ‘do you really want to manage?’ As delivery marketers, we will eventually reach a crossroads. Do you continue down the specialism path or do you look to move into management? Both are just as lucrative when considering salary packages. However, each path has unique positives and negatives. Lay those out in front of you, and then decide which path you wish to take. 

5 top tips on being a successful manager.

It's difficult to summarise the experience I've gained from my mentors, my team, my clients and myself into five points, however, I'm going to try: 

- Lead from the front - be the example you wish to set for the team. 

- The best manager knows when to lead with the heart and when to lead with the mind.

- Always adhere to your organised meetings, let your team know that you take their time seriously. 

- Never let your emotion come in the way of your responsibility. 

- A happy manager usually leads to a happy team!

Thank you Herdy for sharing your insight with us!

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