Most people who want to advance in their careers want to do so, but far too frequently, they try to force it before they’re ready. Top performers are frequently promoted far too early by corporate leaders. However, assuming a managerial job before you’re ready can result in unhappy staff and high turnover. When you have your first chance at managing, you want to make a good impression. Unfortunately, high-performance characteristics do not necessarily convert to management roles.
Tradition and traditional organisational hierarchies are to blame. You ascend because it’s expected if you’re ambitious and want more money, authority, and power. But, more often than not, these rungs on the ladder do not pan out as planned.
Why is managing such a horrible fit for so many talented people? When they become managers, their earlier success does not always convert to team success, leaving them unhappy in their new position. They must deal with corporate bureaucracy, human resource difficulties, budget negotiations, and administrative obligations. They are suddenly not utilising their best characteristics and abilities. It’s aggravating for them, and it can be costly to the company. Poor management costs American businesses roughly $360 billion per year.
If you’re a hardworking employee with a proven track record, you should apply for the next management position. Consider the following before proceeding.
What is your reason for going into management?
Do you want to rise through the management ranks to gain power or to empower others? More than 60% of Millennial managers polled claimed they just became supervisors for the money or the chance to rise in the company. Things like teaching and energising a team, enhancing processes, or being called in as a “secret weapon” when client situations become problematic weren’t motivating.
Be honest with yourself before jumping into management. Are you looking forward to learning about the operational changes? Do you want to learn about leadership to run your own business one day? Is the prospect of performing administrative work appealing or exciting? Do you possess the patience to assist others? Leading executives have risen to positions of power because of their achievements and capacity to help others succeed.
For example, I worked as a salesperson for a decade before moving into management because I intended to operate my own business one day. I had to learn how to lead and manage people successfully to accomplish so. I didn’t appreciate some of the jobs and responsibilities, but I was prepared to put in the effort to become a manager since I had a long-term goal.
Evaluate your current success at work
Employees who do not meet or surpass their objectives are not ready to advance. It’s tough to advance into a position of power if company leaders and peers don’t perceive you as a current success. Have you demonstrated your ability to succeed in your current position by producing consistent, measurable, and positive results? Assume you’re a salesperson looking to advance to sales management. Before you can genuinely be considered for management, you must be 100 per cent committed to exceeding your sales targets and building positive internal connections over multiple years.
You must actively participate in what is going on around you to achieve long-term success. As a manager, you’ll keep an eye on your direct subordinates’ projects, client meetings, and interactions with other departments while remaining silent. This necessitates attentive listening and observation, qualities you’ll have to demonstrate today.
As a result, make a list of the items that jump out in your observations. Have you observed any inefficiencies in your processes that could be improved? Share your opinions with your management, demonstrating that you care about more than just your function and the department and organisation. After all, one of a manager’s responsibilities is to freely share knowledge with others. You’ll also earn the respect of your coworkers and managers. That’s a recipe for a long, fruitful collaboration with a group you might lead.
Work out if you’re a relationship builder
I didn’t focus all of my efforts on my sales peers while I was a salesperson with leadership ambitions. I was interested in learning more about different functions and sought out team members from various fields. I inquired about their work and attempted to get their point of view and what I could accomplish with my clientele to make their jobs easier.
Every month, for example, I emailed my customers a summary of intriguing initiatives that the company had previously accomplished. I spoke with people from many disciplines, which allowed me to discover specifics about projects that other salesmen would not have known about. It was an easy approach to stay top of mind, and customers always responded positively. Rather than keeping the summaries to myself, I shared them with other salespeople so they could stay in front of their consumers as well. This boosted my exposure throughout the sales organisation and demonstrated to my peers that I was genuinely interested in assisting them in succeeding—or, as I previously indicated, in empowering others.
If you want to work in management, you can’t hide in your world. Good managers aim to make a difference for the company rather than themselves. Your colleagues will have more faith in you if you demonstrate a genuine desire to assist others in the organisation. When you eventually get your chance at leadership, your sincerity and humility will pay off.