The Pitfalls of Promotion

RoscommonHero

How do you guys know if taking the step up is the right move?

We are almost culturally conditioned to believe that promotions and career advancement are positive things but I believe that trend is slowly changing. Employees are rightfully becoming more demanding of their employers. Work-life balance is a crucial consideration for many people nowadays so to get to the point why would anybody accept a 10% pay increase (5% of which goes to Government) if that came with the caveat that you now have more duties/responsibilities/folks to manage?

Also some people are just not cut out for management, they have ploughed their own furrow to get where they are and the fact that the modern corporate world believes that if you are relatively successful in your role and have some years of experience that you will be able to manage people is beyond me. People management asks for a unique skill-set and in my time I have seen many many managers not cut out for the role of managing other people. Yes, they may possess skills or have a good track record but they are unable to enable others around them to do the same.

So I guess what I am asking is:

1. If you were promoted to a new role or became a manager how did you know you were ready?
2. How can you tell if any new role or responsibility is worth it?

oranreilly

Here are my 2 cents from my experience as a manager.

Readiness for a role doesn't usually mean that you will slot in seamlessly, it just means that you are ready for the challenge, expect to make mistakes as everyone does in a new role. For me the decision was clear-cut, I needed more money at the time and I worked as a manager for 5 months before being officially promoted (that part sucked). I currently don't manage people, managed to break into a more professional industry, and although I'm at a managerial grade in the civil service now, I currently don't have anyone reporting to me.

People think authority is the most important thing to a manager. I'm not a naturally authoritative person, although I definitely developed this skill over my managerial tenure. I think there are a variety of traits and tenets that make a good manager, basically a code of honour. If your employees respect you, the people management side of the job is largely done.

• Fairness: Where possible, evenly divide tasks and shifts e.g. weekend shifts, everyone does 2 out of every 3 days for example. No one can complain, or at least won't be complaining that you are favouring yourself.
• If employees make requests of you and you can facilitate them, then do... e.g. days off and whatnot. Then, the one time you can't facilitate a request, they are usually understanding.
• It's very important to think of yourself as a facilitator for your employees. A large part of your job is getting the best out of your employees. I think it's good to think of management more like a football team manager who tries to get the most out of his players as opposed to someone who looks at their employees as beneath them.
• Praise publicly, criticise privately. Sounds obvious, but apparently it's not..
• Do not ever **** talk any of your employees to another employee.. amazing that that needs to be said but yes, it needs to be said
• Patience

I could probably go on endlessly with this list, but generally just trying to be fair, helpful and patient will be the toolset required for navigating 90% of people-management. Also, if you're in customer service, always stick up for your employees and have their back for a rude customer.

Anyways, not everyone is cut out for management but I think if you're fair and look after your employees you will be on the road to being a very good manager. If you're authoritative but unfair, emotional etc you are not going to be a good manager because you can learn to be more authoritative but it's much harder to learn to be a nice person.

RoscommonHero

It mystifies me how some folks get manager gigs when they are not really good at people-managing. It seems if you have been in the job a while, and are not completely incompetent within your specifc field then you have a good chance of becoming a manager.

Surely having the soft skills of being able to communicate effectively with other people should be a pre-requisite.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119574738#Comment_119574738

Many people are good at office politics and networking, thats a talent in itself. I'm not saying its always a bad thing. Just why they can't get themselves out of their depth.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261994/the-pitfalls-of-promotion

I assume most people know they want to move the ladder, take on new responsibilities, usually more remuneration. Any one I know who didn't was also pretty sure about not wanting to do the job of the manager. But its dependant on the organisation. You might like being a manager in one place and not another.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119574738#Comment_119574738

Are you familiar with the Peter Principle?

Strumms

Look at who you are replacing.

ask why you are replacing them.

talk to them if you can.

lots of people get encouraged to step into certain rolls by way of promotion due to them being experienced, liked and seen as a ‘safe pair of hands’ by management… doesn’t mean the promotion is suitable for employee, employers or both.

i know people, bags of experience, good people, not bad employees but when promoted turned out to be as useful as a condom with air vents..

thefa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261994/the-pitfalls-of-promotion

1. Was promoted to a role in my mid-20s which was the natural next step on my career path. I honestly didn’t know if I was ready but I done a bit of research into management and tried to feel out the team while they done the same with me for the first while. I actually ended up doing a good job because I built a decent relationship with each one and was a good culture fit. I left the company a couple of years later to relocate and haven’t been a manager since. Think people can exaggerate the idea that only a select few are suitable for management. You need some characteristics for aptitude to it and interest in doing it plus it’s key to consider that management roles come in a variety of forms. Managing a large team can result in the vast majority of your time in meetings and managing whereas a smaller team can allow some time to get more into the nitty gritty of the work which is a more natural progression for some.
2. How long is a piece of string?? What’s your biggest priority now and down the line?