Published November 2004

Becoming a manager
takes desire, training

Q. My first and only chance at managing ended as a colossal failure. When the end came, I wasn’t fired. I simply rejoined the ranks of my previous co-workers who were happy to have me back — just not as their boss. I have thought long and hard about why I failed. My initial promotion came during a massive upheaval at the highest management levels when old bosses were fired or resigned under fire. I had had no managerial experience and no training on how to be an effective manager. What must I do to have another chance at managing?

A. Fortunately, you are on the way back if you choose that direction. Your question provides valuable insight on what may have happened and why. Most importantly, you admit your “failure” without undo blaming of others for it. Yet you do not give any indication of beating yourself up over the experience.

And, you are not alone. The Manchester Group, a human resource consulting firm, reports 40 percent of all newly appointed supervisors fail either by getting fired, voluntarily resigning, being demoted or receiving a bad performance review.

Such failures usually occur because of inadequately handled office politics, poor communication, taking on too much too soon, trying to be “Santa Claus” to all employees, trying to be “one of the gang” or using being “the boss” as a principal power source, the Manchester study showed.

Where to go from here? First, decide whether you want to manage again and support the decision with a number of solid reasons, none that should even mention salary and benefit advantages. You must truly “want” to manage again for how the experience will help you grow as a person.

Perhaps with the assistance of an executive coach, analyze fully the circumstances that led to this “failure.” No employer should ever send a new manager to an assignment unless fully experienced for several years or trained in management skills. Some people can make the transition without training, but for the remaining 80 percent of us, some managerial training is very important.

Seek outside management and leadership training to begin honing your skills. Make sure that your classes emphasize the softer skills of managing. Creating reports and using spreadsheet and presentation software is easy compared to properly disciplining, hiring and firing, motivating and coaching employees.

If after taking these steps you’re still interested, it may be necessary to change employers to position yourself back on the managerial track. It may be unfair, but your managerial “failure” most likely will be remembered at your current company to the extent that nobody there will be willing to give you a second chance.

If considering a new start, look for a senior nonmanagement position that provides plenty of leadership and managing responsibilities in support of your direct report. To get a chance at managing full time, you must handle these secondary management duties with aplomb, and make sure they are recognized in your employee performance reports.

This is not easy. Being a manager is hard work. Sometimes, becoming a good manager is even harder.

Eric Zoeckler operates The Scribe, a business writing service with many Snohomish County-based clients. He also writes a column on workplace issues that appears in The Herald on Mondays. He can be reached at 206-284-9566 or by e-mail to mrscribe@aol.com.

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