What are the most common myths concerning managers? Let’s look at what is often claimed but, according to the management.about.com website, is not true.
1. Managers should be made out of top performers
This is not necessarily true since the skills that make a top performer are not the same as the skills needed to become a manager. High performance is a must but it is definitely not the only factor to be taken into account. It is crucial to be able to motivate others to develop and improve. An individual who is performing very well might have no idea why someone else does not share the same work ethic. And that can be a problem for a manager.
2. Managers care only about the bottom line
Managers want their team to achieve a high-level performance in the long term and therefore must be respectful, fair and take an interest in others and their well-being. It is true that managers need to look after the results of the business and cannot really be friends with their subordinates but that does not make them a monster.
3. Managers make more/less money than individual contributors
Well, that depends. It is often true that artists, athletes, scientists and salespeople are paid several times the amount their manager gets. So managers don’t always make more … but certainly sometimes they do. The basic rule here is that the more responsibility one has, the more money one will find on one's paycheck.
4. Managers only give orders
Managers do have power and authority but the key element is their influence, something that cannot be awarded to them but which they must win for themselves. Managers need to influence not only their direct subordinates but also their peers and many other people in order to be successful and make collaboration effective.
5. Managers are the smartest people in their teams
No. That would mean the team consists of silly people. Managers need a team full of experts, who are outstanding at what they were hired for.
-jk-