Why would I want to do that?
This week, I was doing some heads-down work at a favorite cafe, when I overheard two young men talking at the table next to me. They appeared to be in their late 20s or early 30s, talking through everything from personal finance, to travel, to their families.
At one point, one of the men said to the other:
"My manager asked me to become a manager. Why would I want to do that?
More taxes. More stress. More problems. All for a bit more pay? No thanks."
I couldn't help but smile to myself, because there was truth in what he was saying.
Managing people, especially at the middle manager level, does often equate to more stress and more problems.
There is plenty of research that supports this idea — that middle management is exhausting, that middle managers are unhappy, that middle managers are trapped in a compassion/performance dilemma, and that manager burnout is getting worse.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
Helping leaders at all levels lead more effectively—and in a way that feels more joyful—is one of the reasons I started Zing Collaborative back in 2013.
As I thought about this conversation, overheard at the cafe, I couldn't help but wonder, did anyone also share with him the ways in which he would be supported in this new role?
Perhaps via a new manager training program, or at minimum a mentor within the organization who would support him in his new role?
And, did anyone talk with him about the impact he could have in this new role, or the ways in which his strengths and contributions were a great fit for management?
I will never know, but I will admit that I'm left wondering.
If we are having similar conversations within our own organizations, we might consider:
What training and development options are in place for new (and existing) managers?
How do we help people understand why they're the right person for the role?
What picture are we painting of success before they say yes?
One of my managers from many years ago did a great job with this whenever he asked me to step into a new opportunity. He always made a point to describe the challenge and then tell me why he thought I was up for it, and why I was the right person to take it on. Working with him as my manager, I had the opportunity to work with several teams across several areas of the organization, always learning something new along the way. The way he contextualized the opportunities and shared his belief in me always led me to say “yes,” even if I felt some apprehensive. In hindsight, I grew tremendously when he was my manager because of the different types of opportunities he encouraged me to take on. He often saw something in me before I saw it in myself.
What do you think?
How do we invite people into leadership?
And, how do we make leadership an opportunity that people aspire to, rathe than avoid?
A few questions I'm reflecting on this week.
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