I’ve talked before about it being perfectly acceptable if you would rather stay as a hands-on member of a team rather than assuming a leadership position at work. In that post I said:
Being a manager is not a good fit for everyone.
It really is not. And that’s not a bad thing — it just is what it is.
In Authentic Leadership Can Be Bad Leadership, it talks about managers who use authenticity as an excuse to do and say whatever they want in the management of their teams because, hey, it’s how they roll. The one specific example cited is that of a magazine head who requires her employees to do things her way and her way only to put each issue together. While she may be a very talented exec who knows her business inside and out, she is a terrible manager.
Again, being a manager is not a good fit for everyone. It’s not a good fit for those who don’t want to lead, and certainly not for those who are divas.
These 10 characteristics of a leader from Chat at the Cooler provide a good description of what a manager needs:
- Character
- Communication
- Listening
- Relationships
- Vision
- Passion
- Positive attitude
- Responsibility
- Decision making
- Initiative
Anyone thinking about going into a leadership position that entails the management of people should take a bit of time to reflect on whether or not they possess these qualities or are willing to do the work necessary to cultivate them well. If not, this kind of role is probably not the best job fit.
Are there other ways to be a leader? Of course! Here are a few options:
- Industry consultant
- Speaker
- Author
Not wanting to go the management route is not a failure. Rather, a person who recognizes that in him/herself possesses a keen self-awareness and makes it much easier to have the career they really want, not just one that is formed by peer pressure.
Agree/disagree? Let me know your thoughts!
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Twitter: myfootpath
says:
I love that you’re bringing this topic up and the alternative career paths you suggest. I feel it’s taken for granted today that if you want to excel and move forward in your career, you have to enter management. Some people just work better on their own, when they don’t have to manage the work of direct report employees.
Twitter: TheJobQuest
says:
I agree with you completely, Noël. Career paths are not one size fits all. If a person possesses a knowledge and talent to further their particular industry, then by all means, they should do it. But they don’t automatically have to hit the management track to do so.
Can a management role help? Sure, except when it doesn’t. If a person ends up being a tyrant and gets a bad reputation, that can derail an otherwise successful ascension to the status of leader.
Twitter: jakelacaze
says:
There are many assistant coaches in the NFL who bomb when they get the #1 position. I’m sure we all know examples of people who were promoted to a leadership position solely on their experience and abilities, not based on their leadership qualities.
Some people just have that *It* factor. You can’t always identify *It*, but you know it when you see it. Or you know it when you don’t see it, when it’s lacking.
While I believe that we should focus on our strengths, at the same time we have to be aware of our limitations and work around them or develop our skills to overcome those limitations.
Twitter: TheJobQuest
says:
Jake: You may remember when I wrote on that a little while back — just because a person can execute the hands-on aspect of a job doesn’t mean they have the ability to lead others to do the same.
I agree that possessing a self-awareness of what we can do well and what we can’t is important. Moreover, we should be aware if we want to develop skills in an area that is weak or if it’s even worth it to do so. I mean, I loved playing basketball as a kid and I could have killed myself working on my basketball skills. Would it have been worth it? Not really, because I just sucked at it. My coach said to my parents, “If all it took was heart, Melissa would be the best.” Alas, so much more than heart was needed for me to be any good.
Therefore its essential to the company that managers are regularly spreading the importance of the values to the employee.. And usually team members will put in their best once they see how much the manager cared for them..I bet there are more roles that a company would like the manager to play.
Twitter: TheJobQuest
says:
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Clare!
Good managers do tell employees that they are appreciated when they do a good job. Unfortunately, not all managers do that, nor do they give their teams the chance to be more than a cog in a wheel that just executes a job.
Without being more engaged in what is happening, there is little chance that employees will develop their full potential. Managers who call all the shots and stifle their employees’ growth shouldn’t be managers, in my opinion.