WHAT IS AN "ACCIDENTAL BOSS"? Maybe you are one of them...

Lately, I have seen several posts on LinkedIn talking about this topic. It’s not exactly a new topic, but for some reason, it's being discussed more (or at least that’s my impression).

WHAT IS AN "ACCIDENTAL BOSS"?

An accidental boss is someone who assumes a leadership position without receiving training for it, according to an article by Fortune. It’s true that many excellent professionals in their technical roles may not feel comfortable taking on leadership roles. They can be experts and outstanding professionals in their field, but no one has prepared them to lead people.

HOW DOES AN "ACCIDENTAL BOSS" COME TO BE?

There is a tendency to believe that everyone is motivated to lead teams. When someone excels in their position and we want to retain them in the company and make the most of their potential, we tend to think that what will motivate them most is:

- Financial reward

- Leading a team

Not everyone is motivated to lead teams; in fact, many would prefer not to, especially if they are not trained for it. When in doubt, I think it is crucial to sit down and talk with them and ask about their preferences.

I believe it is important to offer professional growth options that do not necessarily involve moving into positions where they have to manage a team:

- Technical development

- Project leadership

- Specialized roles that allow them to excel

- Mentoring others

In short, allowing them to grow while utilizing their talent in the organization without turning them into formal leaders.

After all, not everyone is motivated by the same things. And I think it’s worth investigating what each person needs/motivates them.

Sometimes, organizational needs dictate, and the company needs new leaders. I often encounter this in companies with very rapid growth and also in those where there is a generational shift and they want to have trusted leaders, who they know are good professionals and who know the company well.

All this makes the most outstanding employees potential new leaders, and that's great, but it’s always necessary to train them. Leadership training is ALWAYS necessary. Whether they are eager to lead a team or not, they always need to be trained for it.

I often come across new leaders, who, despite being experts in their fields, often lack the essential leadership skills to lead a team. They want to do well, but they don’t know how. Some even go from being great professionals to “bad bosses” simply because they don’t know any other way. They get frustrated... and not only that, they also frustrate their teams and their superiors.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF NOT TRAINING THEM?

Research by the Chartered Management Institute in the UK shows that 82% of leaders are at the head of a team without having received any training or education for it, and a quarter of them hold senior leadership roles. I haven’t seen similar studies for Spain, but the situation is likely not much better.

This has a significant impact on employees:

- 76% of employees with ineffective bosses are not satisfied with their jobs, compared to 26% who have effective bosses.

- Only 15% of employees with ineffective bosses feel valued, compared to 72% with effective bosses.

- Only 34% of employees with ineffective bosses feel motivated, compared to 77% with effective bosses.

- 20% of managers lack confidence in their abilities, which affects productivity and work environment.

- Managers with leadership training generate more trust in their teams. Source: Original article in Fortune.com

However, the lack of formal training creates a cycle of incompetence, as ineffective managers are afraid to admit their inability, and employees are afraid to confront them. This phenomenon, along with promoting people without adequate training, contributes to a toxic work environment and high talent turnover rates.

Many middle managers have teams under their responsibility for the first time. Often they are great professionals who have risen through their merits and achievements, but that doesn’t mean it is easy for them to manage teams. They are truly committed professionals, but they need that extra support to get their teams to perform at a high level. Leading people is not easy. Managing human teams is a delicate and complicated task, and at the same time, key to achieving motivation and results in the company.

All this often translates into high levels of stress and, therefore, can affect their productivity and even cause sick leave.

The role that middle managers play in companies is crucial and sometimes underrecognized. Additionally, they are key links to achieving the company’s success.

HOW TO SOLVE IT?

How to prevent them from failing in their new roles leading a team?

The key is in training. Not only technical skills are needed, but also leadership competencies to guide teams to success. Investing in leadership training benefits not only the leaders themselves but also their teams and organizations. Solid leadership leads to committed teams and better results.

I have been training leaders for over a decade and know these situations firsthand. If you want to get started, here are a couple of options:

- Online Courses that can be followed flexibly to fit any schedule. The lessons are distributed in short videos that are easy to include in the daily routine. It allows you to develop your leadership wherever and however you want, with total flexibility.

- In-Company Training: In this case, it would be group face-to-face training delivered especially to the management team at the company's premises, and both the content and format are fully designed to meet the needs of each organization.

Companies that detect these needs in time and provide the necessary support ensure that their leaders are much more effective, and therefore that their teams’ performance achieves greater results.

What to do if you are an "accidental boss"?

If you are an accidental boss, don’t be afraid to admit that you need help.

There are many options available to help you develop the skills necessary to lead a team effectively.

I invite you to explore my books , which are based on the day-to-day reality of team leadership.

Inma Ríos, Expert in Leadership and High-Performance Team Development, has spent over a decade guiding Leaders and Teams to achieve their goals through Training, Mentoring, and Personal Development. An engineer with 15 years of experience in multinational companies across various countries, she is a Business Trainer, International Speaker, and Certified Agile Coach. Awarded the Top Women Leader 2022. More information at www.inmarios.com .