Do Your Growth Team Members Need to Be Technical?

The eternal battle between technical people and business people continues...

In today's competitive landscape, businesses constantly seek innovative ways to scale and grow. Central to this ambition is the growth team, a cross-functional group dedicated to driving user acquisition, engagement, and retention. A common debate among companies is whether growth team members need to possess technical skills. While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of technical expertise within growth teams can provide valuable insights.

The Case for Technical Skills

1. Data-Driven Decision Making

Technical growth team members can effectively leverage data analytics tools to make informed decisions. They can analyze user behavior, identify trends, and measure the impact of various growth initiatives. This data-driven approach ensures that strategies are not based on intuition but on solid evidence, enhancing the likelihood of success.

2. Experimentation and Optimization

Growth often involves running A/B tests and other experiments to identify the most effective tactics. Technical skills enable team members to design, implement, and analyze these experiments without relying heavily on other departments. This autonomy accelerates the experimentation process, allowing the team to iterate rapidly and find optimal solutions.

3. Seamless Collaboration with Engineering

Technical growth team members can bridge the gap between the growth and engineering teams. Their understanding of both domains facilitates smoother communication and collaboration, ensuring that growth-related projects are executed efficiently. This synergy can lead to quicker implementation of features and improvements that drive growth.

4. Automation and Efficiency

Technical expertise allows growth team members to automate repetitive tasks and processes. Whether it's setting up automated marketing campaigns, creating scripts to analyze data, or building custom tools, automation can significantly enhance the team's efficiency and productivity, freeing up time for more strategic initiatives.

The Case Against Technical Skills

1. Diverse Perspectives

Non-technical growth team members bring valuable perspectives that might be overlooked by their technically-inclined counterparts. They often excel in areas such as creative thinking, customer empathy, and marketing strategy. These skills are crucial for crafting compelling narratives, understanding user needs, and designing impactful campaigns.

2. Collaboration and Specialization

A growth team that relies on diverse skill sets can foster a collaborative environment where each member brings their unique expertise to the table. Non-technical members can collaborate with technical colleagues to execute complex projects, ensuring that the team benefits from both strategic and technical insights. This specialization can lead to more innovative and well-rounded solutions.

3. Cost and Resource Allocation

Hiring highly technical growth team members can be costly. Depending on the company's budget and growth stage, it might be more feasible to hire a mix of technical and non-technical members. By allocating resources wisely, companies can build a balanced team that leverages external technical resources when needed, such as hiring contractors or using specialized software.

4. Focus on Core Competencies

Non-technical growth team members can focus on their core competencies, such as user research, content creation, and partnership development. By excelling in these areas, they can drive growth through creative and strategic initiatives that don't necessarily require deep technical knowledge.

Striking the Right Balance

Ultimately, the ideal composition of a growth team depends on the company's specific needs and goals. Here are some strategies to strike the right balance:

1. Cross-Training and Skill Development

Encourage cross-training within the growth team to develop a baseline understanding of technical concepts among all members. This can enhance collaboration and enable non-technical members to contribute more effectively to technical discussions. Unlocking Growth’s Customer Activation Rocketship course is a great baseline for both technical and non-technical team members.

2. Hybrid Roles

Consider hiring hybrid roles that combine technical and non-technical skills. For example, a growth marketer with basic coding skills or a data analyst with marketing experience can provide the best of both worlds, ensuring a versatile and adaptable team.

3. Leveraging External Resources

Utilize external resources, such as freelancers, consultants, and specialized software, to supplement the team's technical capabilities. This approach allows the team to access technical expertise as needed without incurring the cost of full-time technical hires. Unlocking Growth’s advisory services have helped many teams with backup knowledge and guidance to support teams in their growth strategies.

4. Continuous Learning and Adaptation

Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptation within the growth team. Encourage team members to stay updated on industry trends, attend workshops, and participate in training programs. This commitment to growth and development ensures that the team remains agile and capable of tackling new challenges.

Conclusion

The question of whether growth team members need to be technical does not have a definitive answer. Instead, it hinges on the specific needs, goals, and resources of the company. While technical skills offer significant advantages in terms of data analysis, experimentation, and automation, non-technical skills are equally valuable for creativity, strategy, and user empathy. By striking a balance and fostering collaboration, companies can build a growth team that leverages the strengths of both technical and non-technical members, driving sustainable and impactful growth.