“A recent survey by Robert Half Technology showed that only 15 percent of workers in the information technology field said they would prefer to manage others.”
That quote is from a story in Albuquerque Business First. The headline is: “Fewer people want to be the boss.”
I’m guessing that the people who responded to the survey were thinking about the traditional boss’s job. That job involves telling subordinates what to do and checking their work to make sure it’s done correctly. That job has been around since the dawn of the Industrial Age. But we’re not in the Industrial Age anymore.
In the Knowledge Age, you want someone who’s more of a coach and wants to help team members succeed. If so, there’s good news for you in the Robert Half survey.
A majority of those who want to manage others say they want the job because of the coaching involved. Make sure your managers are reviewed and compensated based on helping the team and the team members succeed. Select new managers based on their desire and ability to do that job. Then reward and promote those who do it well.
The survey also notes that 11 percent of those who want to manage others want to do so because they’ll make more money. If becoming as a manager is the only way to have a career where a person can increases income and status, then people who may not be a good fit will keep signing up for it.
Provide some parallel career progressions. Some people don’t want to manage others, but they do want to keep getting better at their craft or profession. Some others don’t really want to be managers, but want to work on a succession of interesting projects. Find a way that those people can have a satisfying career without becoming a manager.
We’re moving deeper into the Knowledge Age. Let’s find ways to give people rewarding work and career options that fit the challenges.
