Slightly Off KIlter

I was recently asked about my experience with different sizes of companies — I’ve worked for many different companies, from one with 30 people when I started to two with thousands of employees worldwide. I was asked what I think of company size and how would I feel working for a very small company?

My first response was that it really doesn’t matter; I don’t really notice the size of my company, only the size of my team. For example, when I started working for Apple in 1986, Apple had many thousands of employees. They celebrated their tenth anniversary shortly after I signed on. But my team (the A/UX group) had 8 people. That was my “company”. By the time I left Apple (the first time 🙂 6 years later, my “company” had reached 80 members. I don’t know how many were employed at Apple (the corporation) that year.

What I really notice when I’m working is what’s closest to me. I notice the people in my team — Are they smart? Interesting? Do they enjoy collaborating on ideas? I notice the project itself — is it interesting to me? Is it meaningful? Do I enjoy working on it (or am I just drawing a paycheck)?

Thinking the question over later, though, I realized that in many ways, size does matter. Being part of an 8-person team at Apple in 1986 was important to me and was, in many ways, far more interesting and personally rewarding than being part of an 80-person department in 1986.

When I’m a member of a smaller group, my input, my accomplishments, and my ideas matter more. What I do has a real effect on the company (on the team) and on the project. Additionally, small teams haven’t had as much time yet to make mistakes; I don’t have to join a project in firefighting mode.

The jobs I’ve enjoyed the most have been for small teams (sometimes within large companies). I like it that way.