Surviving the management carrot
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Many people seem to think that the path to management is attrition, attention and attitude; however, the reality behind the path is not one of climbing steps, but selecting different paths. Long gone are the days when managers were expected to be the best and most knowledgeable in the fields which they manage; instead, cross stream skills in areas such as people management, time management and quality assurance are becoming more the norm as strong background for the roles of Team Leaders and IT Management.
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is to take an excellent technical resource and make them into something they are not necessarily good at, or really wish to do; i.e. looking after people, planning other people’s work and enforcing company policy and deadlines onto those whom were their peers. Often, if a promotion is offered, the temptation of money aligned with the fear of the consequences that may occur by saying no, will lead an excellent technical resource to become a very bad team leader or manager. Inevitably, the person moves on voluntarily disillusioned with their failure, or worse, sacked as being incompetent. Some will move on to re-enter the work force back in a role they love, but after the bad experience, will not necessarily work to the levels that may bring attention to them.
Some people strive to be leaders; some are simply wired that way and find management second nature, but over the fifteen odd years I have spent in the IT industry, I can only think of two or three individuals that I would say are technical geniuses that also succeeded as managers.
If you are approached in relation to an unwanted management role and your superiors do not show the capacity to realize that you are not interested in that path; be honest. Don’t say no and leave it there, but explain to them that your passion and interest lays in “the doing”. Ensure they realize that programming flows through your veins and you only wish to implement solutions, grow in technical skills and assist management to achieve their goals, not set them.
Antony Smales
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What about the IT down turnThis site assumes there is a boom in the IT industry by submitting topics like this. SD SID, 01/28/2009 09:12:14 PM
Hellooooo - echo echo echoI don't think anyone is actually running this site. There's probably a scheduled task that adds queued articles. Vic, 01/30/2009 11:08:33 PM
The AuthorGoogled the author;s name and came up with: Mr Antony David Smales Alphalycan, 01/31/2009 03:39:51 AM
Re; The AuthorGreat. We are getting advice from crooks company directors. Socrates, 02/01/2009 01:57:27 AM
Irrelevant articles.Perhaps site author was told that he is risking his career in IT if will continue to “rock the boat” I mean freedom of expression is good if you discuss Pitt Brad family life or “new exciting computer game” but if you trying to discuss real world problems, which really affect your life. Well.. bstd, 02/01/2009 09:39:00 PM
We will change the topicYep..., we will suggest relevant topics not fantasy ones like whats on this site. hope he rots in Jail SD SID, 02/02/2009 12:03:54 AM
What the Industry Needs?Definately not amateur managers! On topic Hawkwind, 02/02/2009 04:00:05 AM
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