Management Opportunity: a Fantastic Promotion or a Fundamental Career Change

This was a thought-provoking and practical conversation with leadership and team trainer, facilitator, coach, consultant, and my business partner Amanda MacDougall.

In this conversation, we explore this provocative question ... if you are giving or receiving an opportunity to become a Manager, a people Manager, is that just a Fantastic Promotion or is it ultimately a Fundamental Career Change?

Your answer and understanding about this transition and transformation will make or break you and others.

Amanda uses her years of practical experience and research and the results of her recent LinkedIn Survey to respond to and explore these questions: 

• Why don't People or Organizations think of becoming a manager as a career change?
• What is the cost to people and organizations if you don't?
• If I am becoming a Management Professional, a People Leader, can you give me a Checklist of things I need to consider? 

Along the way, we explore the "identity Shift" that must take place. The importance of going back to "school". The emotional impact of going from Technical Expert to Management Apprentice. And how the cost of no longer being one of the "gang" can be a price that even the "pay raise" can not cover.

AMANDA'S CHECKLIST

Checklist for Deciding to Become a Management Professional:

You love working with people (culture) 

You are drawn to thinking more broadly than your own work (strategy)

You are ready to set aside technical details in your day to day work

You have good communication skills

Monitoring, measuring, and tracking are fun! (workflow management)

People come to you for support or advice (leadership)

Collaboration is a skill in your toolbelt

You routinely take initiative and don't wait for direction

Are you ready to shift from being one of the "gang" to setting the example? (Personal accountability)

You have talked to people who are in the role you aspire to – what does it take to succeed in your role? Open yourself up to reflection and feedback – because that is what you get in management!

What to do When you land in a management position:

Make your "FROM .. TO" list

Create your leadership philosophy

Build community – it's lonely in the middle

Additional Thoughts for Organizations 

Review the employee checklist above with prospective managers

Be honest with yourself and with prospective managers on requirements – are they people leaders, or workflow managers? 

Determine what skills are actually required to be successful and hire for those skills – long-term or strong technical individual contributors may not be the best managers.

Approach people management training as you would any other technical training requirements

Be clear on expectations, time requirements for people and leadership skill development

Ensure transparent support for employees considering management, clarifying the unique requirements and shifts required to move into management

Think about "off-ramps" if the move to management turns out not to be a good fit that honours everyone in the process.

Tim Windsor
the UNCOMMODiFiED Podcast – Host & Guide
[email protected]

PRODUCER: Kris MacQueen
TECHNICAL EDITOR: Alyne Gage
MUSIC BY: https://themacqueens.ca/