Do You Really Want a Management Position?

In the 1960s or 1970s, rejecting promotions to management was an unusual occurrence. Active corporate growth, new technologies, and the influence of business becoming a global phenomenon meant that companies needed large numbers of middle management.

Ascending to management positions became a synonym for being on the fast track to corporate success. This environment generated a sometimes mind-numbing dash to management by all prospective corporate ladder climbers. In many cases, it created unsatisfactory results, for both the new managers and their companies.

Finally, many people realized that management was not for everyone. Individuals could be superstars and have successful and interesting careers without choosing a pure management track. If people enjoyed working by themselves or as a team or department member, they began to make that choice.

The key for you is to understand yourself, have a visualization of the future track of your career, and follow your head and your heart. Here are some items to consider as you formulate your career goals and objectives, including the level of your desire to pursue a management track.

• Learn what "middle management" means at your company.  Don't be shy. Ask other newer managers how they describe their real duties and responsibilities, not those listed in their job descriptions.
  
  
• Evaluate how prepared you feel about a promotion to management.  Research studies indicate that many employees (some results showed up to 40%) believed they received little training, support, education and preparation for assuming a manager title.
  
  
• Visualize your first day, week, and month as a new manager.  Do you believe you'll be comfortable with these new responsibilities or that you'll ask yourself, "What have I gotten myself into?" While this may be a difficult answer to project, it's better to ask yourself this question before putting yourself in the position.
  
  
• Research recent statistics to learn how others like yourself tend to react to a management promotion from a pure staff position.  In recent years, HR firms and consultants have studied this management issue. Some company data indicates that as many as two or three out of every ten employees promoted to management decide to return to their former job or other non-manager jobs rather quickly after they accept a promotion. Do your own research to learn how your company compares to others. This may show how well they support and train newer managers to help them succeed.

Deciding to follow a management track to success or achieving your career goals as a non-manager is more an intuitive than a scientific decision. Increasing your self-awareness and confidence in your ability should help you make this very personal decision correctly.

There is no mandated right or wrong answer or decision. Your decision to join management should depend on how you feel about this action plan. Do you believe you'll quickly become comfortable and successful managing others instead of just yourself? Is it a personal goal to rise from your current position to earning a seat at the executive table? Are you happier working on projects, creating new ideas, achieving individual success, and leaving your work behind when you exit your office for the day?

If you're like most people, you'll reach much higher success if you choose the path that excites you, foregoing the one that you believe you "should" take. Success will come if you want it strongly enough, with or without a management position on your resumé.

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