Have you ever seen a situation where someone is exceptionally good at their job, but when they get promoted to a team leader, manager, or executive, everything falls apart?
This scenario is common and highlights a widespread misconception about promotions. Being a leader or manager is much more than just "work." The key element is "managing people."
When we are individual contributors, our focus is on using our skills to accomplish tasks, being responsible for our work, and ensuring our output is excellent. Our results come from the work we do ourselves.
However, when someone becomes a manager, the role changes significantly. Managers don't do the tasks themselves but must manage others to work according to their vision. They find ways to make others complete tasks and achieve desired outcomes.
This requires a completely different set of skills.
While work experience might help a manager understand what good work looks like and how it should be done, "directing" others to achieve that level of quality is another matter.
Human beings are not computer programs that simply execute commands. Managing people involves attending to their feelings, addressing issues beyond the work, such as relationships with colleagues, personal problems, etc. All these factors can significantly impact work.
It's not surprising that many who are excellent at their jobs struggle when they become leaders, unable to manage these complexities. This issue is particularly common among those who are newly promoted to leadership positions.
Problems can also arise from the way leaders behave, such as misuse of power, bias and unfairness within the team, favoritism, etc.
Thus, it's often said that while many people are suited to being workers or thinkers, they shouldn't be in managerial roles. Many business owners are great at starting companies but should not manage their own companies due to a lack of managerial skills.
If they continue to manage despite these shortcomings, it won't be long before the company falls apart.
Comments