Level 5 is actually an easy step from Level 4 because at Level 5, you are a people manager. And as a people manager, you get to hire and fire people.
From team lead to people manager
At Level 4, you’re a team lead. You can reallocate resources, make recommendations, and participate in the hiring process. You can say you think someone isn’t cutting it or that someone deserves to move up based on provable work. At Level 5, because you can manage and coach anyone two levels below you, you can coach a Level 3, 2, or 1. You also inherit all the skills of a Level 4.
What “manager” really means
A lot of people have the title of manager. Assistant manager, customer service manager. It just sounds like a nice title. But in our world, a manager is someone who can hire and fire people. That’s a lot of authority.
You have to know the hiring process, overcome your own blind spots, understand who is actually good at something, and see past your own biases. That includes skills you don’t know anything about. Maybe you’re great at analytics but you struggle with design, or you’re good at video editing but don’t know the ads and optimization side. You’ve got to bring all of those together.
The GCT triangle
The triangle you learn at Level 5 is GCT, which is strategy. This is the first time as a manager that you’re able to close a deal. At Level 4, you can maintain a client and execute through the phases once they’ve already paid. But at Level 5, you can take someone who’s not a client yet and diagnose what they’re doing.
When people come into the system, they fill out a strategy assessment with their goals, content, and targeting. You also fill out your own goals sheet when you join.
The doctor analogy
Imagine you’re a doctor with a white lab coat and a stethoscope around your neck. You’re able to put that stethoscope to the patient’s chest and diagnose what’s going on. Based on the symptoms, you determine the right treatment. You don’t want to send someone with lung cancer to the massage place. You’ve got to send people to the right area and take care of these patients with the skill to do that.
Setting up for Level 6
Level 5 is GCT (strategy). Level 4 is AEC (the funnel). The combination of being able to diagnose strategy and manage people is how you become a strong people manager and set yourself up for Level 6, which is actually being able to run a P&L.
This article connects to BlitzMetrics processes including one-minute video, 9 Triangles framework, SEO Tree. Each of these concepts has a definitive article that explains the full framework.
Dennis Yu
Dennis Yu is the CEO of Local Service Spotlight, a platform that amplifies the reputations of contractors and local service businesses using the Content Factory process. He is a former search engine engineer who has spent a billion dollars on Google and Facebook ads for Nike, Quiznos, Ashley Furniture, Red Bull, State Farm, and other brands.
Dennis has achieved 25% of his goal of creating a million digital marketing jobs by partnering with universities, professional organizations, and agencies. Through Local Service Spotlight, he teaches the Dollar a Day strategy and Content Factory training to help local service businesses enhance their existing local reputation and make the phone ring.
Dennis coaches young adult agency owners serving plumbers, AC technicians, landscapers, roofers, electricians, and believes there should be a standard in measuring local marketing efforts, much like doctors and plumbers must be certified.