Are You Manager Material?

Some people strive to be or accept positions as managers based on nothing other than their length of service to the company. The thing is that not everyone is managerial material. Hiring people to manage who are not either ready or equipped for that role can lead to other problems down the rode such as high turnover rates because no one wants to work under a bad manager. Eventually, if you are the bad manager, higher management will have to solve the problem; which is firing you when it could have been avoided by you staying in a position that worked for you.

There are several signs that can tell if you would make an effective manger. Looking for these signs in yourself is a good way to know if you should strive to be a manager in your division. A manager position is very tempting; more money, more responsibility, and a respectable title. But you can be doing yourself more harm than good if you are just not cut out for the duties that come with it. Good thing that there are ways that you can tell if you are management material before taking that leap.

Communication. The key to great management is great communication. A large amount of your time will be communication; with the employees under you and your bosses. Communication comes in many different forms; meetings, progress reporting, emails, phone calls, delegating, planning and coordinating, and developing documentation. If you don't communicate, verbal and written, well then you may not be cut out for management.

Working well with people. If you are more comfortable working independently then you may not be manager material. You will work with your team, other team managers, clients, stakeholders, and more. You will have to get used to human interactions on a daily basis.

Details are important to you. The truth is dealing with the details isn't your job as a manager. Your main ability should be focused more on delegating and trusting your team members to hash out the details. You must then coordinate your team to bring the details together into a finished product.

Managing people makes you uncomfortable. This is a definite sign that you shouldn't be a manager at this point. This doesn't mean that you should never try to grow in your company. But, if you aren't comfortable managing people at this point, you will need to get over this before moving up. Leadership, discipline, and control of conflict is just some of the skills needed for managing people.

Following procedures aren't for you. Basically, if you want your team to be sticklers for procedures and rules, then you will need to lead by example. Your team members will not respect you if you try the 'do what I say, not what I do' approach.

Documenting things isn't your strong point. You will spend a good deal of your time documenting things; team process, plans, changes, project details, employee evaluations and disciplinary actions. You don't have to love this step, but you have to do so a certain amount of tolerance is needed.

Planning is not for you. In this case, then management is not for you. You will have to plan and hash out the plans before getting them approve by your bosses and executed by your team. This is basically your main job function.

You like your duties given to you. You will go from an order taker to an order giver. In many cases, your bosses will not tell you, in detail, what they want you to do. You will only get what they want the finished product to be. It will up to you to plan out the details and delegate to your team members. If you only work well when tasks are handed down, then you are cut out to be management.

Organization isn't your strong point. Organization of time, human capital, resources, and equipment is all part of management. People with terrible organization skills makes poor management.

You believe that managers isn't necessary. You will not be paid to just sit around and allow your team to make you look good to top management. You will have to have belief in your role as a manager and realize that it is an intricate part of the entire machine.

Effective decision-making. If I had to pick the top three things that managers do it will be delegating, organizing, and decision-making. Everything you do will start and stop with a decision. If you the type of person who can't even decide on bagels or toast for breakfast, then leave management for people who can make effective decisions.

Management is a great responsibility and requires a certain type of individual to do it right. That is not the case in business these days. Choosing managers has become a 'first come, first serve' type of thing instead of a selection of the person best fit for the position. It is up to you to know your limits. If you fail, they will not just put you back in your old position; you will be out of a job for not making the right decision.