Who Wants to be a Manager

Is Moving into Middle Management the Right Career Choice?

Sep 7, 2007 Deborah S. Hildebrand

Is being a manager all it's cracked up to be? For those who aspire to the role, consider carefully before signing on the dotted line.

In today’s organizations, middle management has become a dirty concept. While employers are busy trying to identify, develop and promote people into positions of leadership, those that might otherwise aspire to the role are running in the opposite direction.

According to USAToday the reason behind this mass exodus from the middle manager ranks has to do with the lack of incentives offered to those who take on the responsibility, accountability and headaches that come with the job.

Most experts agree that there are three main roles within a typical organization: the executives who call the shots, the worker bees who get to do the hands on stuff, and middle managers that are in the thankless role of having to answer to both. Being sandwiched between these two groups makes many aspiring manager wonder if it’s worth being promoted.

First, there is no love. If someone is promoted from the rank and file, those that get left behind may feel abandoned as the role of the peer becomes the role of the supervisor. This may result in a feeling of isolation for those who have moved on. That’s why they say it’s lonely at the top.

Next, the new role comes with high expectations that many new managers may find impossible to meet as everyone suddenly expects more: the exec’s expect more productivity, the workers expect more attention, and the newly promoted manager expects more job satisfaction. Unfortunately, that doesn’t usually occur as managers typically give up flexible work schedules, telecommuting, compressed workweeks, and more hands-on involvement in the actual work.

Finally, when there are budget cuts and the company needs to layoff employees, who do they usually turn to? The middle managers. Just like in a sandwich, they squeeze the top and bottom together until the jelly runs out the middle.

With all this doom and gloom, what can employers do to make the management track more attractive?

While financial rewards are an important aspect of taking on new responsibility, money is not the only motivator; therefore employers need to think beyond compensation.

According to an article at management-issues.com middle managers are just not prepared for what they are getting into because they get little or no support or preparation for their new role.

Therefore, it seems obvious that organizations must train managers before they become managers. This includes selecting the right individuals for the role. Organizations have long known that the person who is best at doing the work is not always best at managing others. Having people skills trumps even the most highly skilled technician.

Providing support is equally important. Receiving feedback and guidance from a superior about individual performance helps new managers to understand their role and whether or not they are meeting company (and their own) expectations.

Additionally, creating flexibility within the manager role, not just from a work-life balance concept, but from a learning and growing angle may create more interest in middle management positions. This could include movement through different business units, international assignments, participation on cross-functional teams as well as the occasional work-at-home Friday.

While it is up to organizations to better prepare those who want to move into a management role and to ensure that such a move is seen as a positive step forward, it is up to the employee to understand what they are getting themselves in to. That means deciding if it really is the right move – for everyone concerned.

The copyright of the article Who Wants to be a Manager in Career Advice is owned by Deborah S. Hildebrand. Permission to republish Who Wants to be a Manager in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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