Are you thinking about whether to choose a job of a manager as the next step in your career path? The fact that you have been successful in your current role of a specialist is not enough for you to advance to a managerial position. Therefore, before you decide, ask yourself the following questions, so that you know what else you should work on. The author of the popular management blog called Ask a Manager, Alison Green, advises asking:
Are you able to conduct difficult conversations?
As a manager, you will have to talk with your employees about sensitive matters, criticizing them or telling them that they would be dismissed, even though they do not deserve it. If such talks are suffering for you, the whole management activity would be suffering for you - and not just for you.
Are you able to make hard decisions about priorities?
The manager must be able to set out clear objectives to his/her team and to make sure that all team activities are directed towards these targets. It also means to be able to terminate projects that looked promising, but are no longer a priority.
Are you able to exercise your authority against older and more experienced people?
The manager must be prepared to be a boss of his/her former colleagues or specialists, who have got much more experiences than himself/herself. His/her behavior towards them should be neither indecisive nor aggressive.
Are you able to motivate people to meet the deadlines differently than just through intimidation?
Strict control, climate of fear, screaming, unreasonable demands ... These are all signs of weak managers. A good manager will deal with his/her demands in a calm and open atmosphere.
Are you able to prioritize the company's interests over your own personal opinion?
Even a manager has his/her supervisors, whose requirements do not have to be identical with his/her personal views. He/she must reckon with the fact that he/she would have to promote things he/she would not really find exciting. Sometimes he/she would have to dismiss someone or to save money on something etc.
Are you able to work with people who are smarter than yourself?
Each manager has to build a strong team. This includes the ability to recruit and work on every-day basis with people who are certainly smarter than their boss. The manager should not be defensive rejecting anyone better than himself/herself.
-kk-