The Accidental Manager

What's the most difficult management job in the world? |

At first glance this sounds like a tough question.

Could it be the CEO of a major corporation with lots of complex international operations?

Perhaps it is being a national political leader or President?

Maybe even managing a sports team that has fans that constantly expect more and more success?

Actually, its quite a simple question and the answer is glaringly obvious.

The most difficult management job in the world is - your first one!

Many of us get promoted into a role that we are not prepared for. Just because we have done well as an individual contributor does not mean that we will necessarily have the skills required to become a successful manager.

In fact a recent report highlights this very issue. The Chartered Management Institute and YouGov spoke to over 2000 managers across the UK and they made some significant findings.

• 82% of managers reported they did not receive any management training when they took on their first management role.
• 71% felt they were not ready to become a manager when they were promoted.
• Over half reported making mistakes early on due to lack of management training (I suspect the real figure is actually much higher if this was the number that were brave enough to admit it)!
• 68% of organizations do not require new managers to receive formal management training.
• 36% of new managers say they learned through trial and error.
• Top skills gaps reported in new managers included coaching, mentoring, setting goals, problem-solving, and managing change.
• 95% of respondents agreed management skills training should be mandatory before promotion.

Other research has tried to quantify the cost of this to organisations. Figures vary but most agree that 41% of new managers fail within the first 18 months of taking on the job.

Many of these leave at at estimated cost of 300% of their annual salary!

It gets worse.

• 26% of senior managers claim to have received no formal training
• As do 52% of middle managers which has resulted in many managers leaving
• 31% of managers claim to have left a job because of a negative relationship with a manager
• As do 28% of employees (individual contributors)

We know that the number one factor that drives employe engagement is the relationship you have with your direct manager, so it seems a little cavalier that organisations should be so negligent in making sure that people are able to do a good job when they take on the role.

So why is the happening on such a monumental scale?

There are several reasons.

Firstly, most organisations fail to recognise that the skills required to make you a good individual contributor are not necessarily the same as those you will need to manage and lead others.

Let's say that I am an accountant. What do I need to be good at to do my job well?

I am going to need at least the following:

• Knowledge of accounting standards and principles like GAAP or IFRS
• Understanding of financial statements (balance sheets, P&L, cash flow)
• Ability to analyze financial data and identify issues
• Budgeting and forecasting expertise
• Auditing skills and knowledge
• Tax knowledge and preparation ability
• Use of accounting software/systems

So I work hard and master those and do a great job. So much so the management team recognise my ability and decide to make me a manager.

Of course I will still need those abilities I have already curated, but now come another completely different set of requirements.? To have even a remote chance of being an effective manager I will need the list below as a bare minimum:

Interpersonal Skills:

• Communication - active listening, clear direction giving
• Building relationships and trust with team
• Conflict resolution and negotiation
• Coaching and mentoring skills

Leadership Skills:

• Motivating employees and team building
• Delegating responsibilities
• Managing performance - setting goals, giving feedback
• Decision making and problem solving
• Project management basics

Personal Organization:

• Time management
• Planning and prioritizing
• Resource management
• Staying focused under pressure

Business Knowledge:

• Understanding company goals, values, policies
• Knowledge of industry trends and competition
• Budgeting and financial management basics
• HR processes - hiring, compensation, discipline

Self-Management:

• Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
• Learning mindset and ability to self-reflect
• Confidence and composure
• Ethics and integrity

Yet we know from the research that around 82% managers don't get any training when they make the transition.

Even those that do get an introductory couple of days that skim over the basics.

Just look at that list. Do you think that all of that is going to be learnt in a quick generic workshop? I think not.

It takes a sustained programme that gives support and back up so people can try out new ideas and get coaching and support as they encounter the challenges that these skills require.? Conventional training runs through these concepts and then leaves the learner to fend for themselves and try to figure out how to apply these skills as and when they are needed.

To me it seems a little like going to your mechanic who has done a great job on looking after your car for a couple of years, providing them with a couple of days of medical training (if you are one of the companies lucky enough to provide any training) and then asking them to be your doctor!

How many of us would feel comfortable with that idea? Not many I guess - including my mechanic!

So what do we do? The first step in resolving any problem is to acknowledge it exists.

There is so much evidence that this is not in doubt.

What we need now are coaching and support programmes that gradually introduce people into their management role, give them the opportunity to explore new ideas and concepts, experiment with them and see what works for them and then on-going advice and guidance on how to embed these approaches into their everyday actions so they become second nature.

If we don't start doing this then perhaps our accidental managers are literally an accident waiting to happen!

Download a free ebook on the most common mistakes made by new managers by clicking the link below:

https://common-mistakes-for-new-managers-pkv12.pagemaker.link/