Below is a excerpt from a whitepaper our consultants wrote on Career Management, and it specifically relates to the dangers of moving into management. Interesting reading in light of the recent market volatility.
Many people see the step into management as a natural career progression, but the reality is (1) not everyone has the skills to be a good manager, and (2) there are a lot more soldiers than there are generals. A lot of people are promoted into managerial roles largely due to their long tenures with companies and great domain knowledge rather than strong management and leadership qualities. When these people needed to compete with other candidates in the marketplace they are often found wanting. This issue is frequently compounded by the fact managers rarely have the time to keep their technical skills up to date and are left unable to step back into a more hands on role.
It is predominantly managers who are initially affected by restructures and redundancies. Very rarely does a company decide “we need more middle management”. And management remains the most fiercely competitive layer of the job market.
We’re not suggesting people avoid moving into management positions, rather that you critically evaluate your strengths and weaknesses before making the jump. It might also be a good idea to do a split role, where you remain hands on while taking on the managerial responsibilities to establish whether this is a space you enjoy and are good at.
If you are on the verge of accepting a new management role, attempt to negotiate some formal training or mentoring program as part of your new package. This will help mitigate some of the risk.
Be warned. I have this conversation with managers quite frequently, and they just don't get it, at least until they've spent a few fruitless months on the job market.....
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