Many fresh MBAs want to go into management thinking that’s the way to power, perks, and bucks. I don’t want to seem like a Cassandra, but ….
There are lots of changes occurring in management. This is great if you’ve got the right emotional maturity and ‘right stuff.’ There are other ways to getting these, including being a highly paid individual contributor.
Several years ago, two articles graced the front page of the Wall Street Journal on the wisdom of becoming a manager. Their challenging titles say it all: “Off the Ladder: Want to be a Manager? Many People Say No! Calling Job Miserable” and “Who’s the Boss? A Software Engineer Becomes a Manager, With Many Regrets.”
A new ailment is running through organizations: management phobia. Many don’t want to be managers and existing managers want to jump off the track. The reasons vary. ‘I want freedom.’ ‘I don’t want to attend so many #@% meetings!’ ‘I want a life.’ ‘I want time with my kids.’ ‘I don’t want the pressure.’
Management is much tougher than it was even 1 year ago due to globalization, outsourcing, off shoring, flat growth, pressures on cost margins, and recession. In addition, management authority has diminished. Salary compression results in fewer financial benefits for the manager?
Life Lesson Earned: Ask yourself, do you have the right stuff to be a good manager? Do you want or are you aware of the sacrifices you may have to make? And, is this the right track for you?