Busy Leader Field Notes
Field Note #8
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No HR doesn't mean "good luck, everyone." It means you need a simple people system.
Why it matters
- People issues show up as performance issues
- Onboarding and expectations reduce churn
- Rituals improve communication and accountability
- Small fixes prevent big blowups
Do this
- Create a 2–4 person People & Culture crew
- Meet monthly for 60 minutes
- Own: onboarding, role clarity, rituals, basic policies, pulse checks
- Keep a simple backlog: fix one people-system per month
Common traps
- Overengineering (bureaucracy cosplay)
- Ignoring issues until someone quits
- Treating culture as "extra" work
People systems don't need to be heavy. They need to exist.
Want fewer meetings and more momentum? Crewie keeps priorities, ownership, and weekly rhythm in one place.
