Four Truths Every Manager Should Learn
Many managers seem to be in the wrong position. Sometimes, it is due to the Peter Principle. Sometimes, these people founded their organizations and became managers by default, or they were technically proficient and so got promoted into management positions. They don’t know or don’t care about management, and that leads them to do crazy things.
One thing these types of managers like to say is “We don’t discuss money here.” But a business exists to make money. You don’t want to discuss it? How will the employees know if their efforts are making money—or, worse, losing money?
Something else they might say is “We hire for cultural fit.” That’s fine if they know what the culture is. More often, they think it’s about hiring for personality, without regard to technical skills.
It’s OK to be an unseasoned manager. Everyone has to start somewhere. But you must be willing to ask for help and not think you have all the answers. Be open to new ideas and to learn from the people you're managing, too.
Here are some helpful truths to learn in your management career.
- Not talking about something, whether it’s money or “cultural fit,” doesn’t make it go away. It pushes the topic underground and makes it undiscussable. You might have to go meta and talk about why some things are discussable or not, but making something undiscussable almost never works.
- Experience counts for something. You can gain experience the hard way, by working; you can ask for experience with coaching; or you can gain experience with experiential education.
- The higher you are in the organization, the more your words and actions are amplified by your position. You might not like this, but it’s true.
- If you repeat the same year of experience over and over again, you haven’t gained any value. You’ve repeated the same year. That’s expensive and sooner or later will get you in trouble.
If you are a manager already but haven't had the opportunity to gain much management experience, try reading some books about managing. You will gain experience slowly by practicing with your employees, and you can get coaching to help you learn more quickly.
If you work for an unseasoned manager, use feedback to help your manager learn. You also should realize that management takes separate skills from your technical skills. Don’t fall for the myth that the best technical person will make the best manager.
Anyone who cares about the people in their organization can become a great manager. Great management isn't interference or a power grab. It requires creating an environment in which people can do their best work.
What do you wish you had known when you were starting out as a manager? What do you wish your manager would do differently? Tell us in the comments.
