Do you really want to manage others?

The questions to ask yourself before making the jump

You have several years of experience and you feel confident in your area of expertise. The natural step in your career looks like moving to a managerial position.

You talk about your career progression with your leadership team. You will get it sooner or later, if not in your company, then in another one.

But have you stopped and asked yourself if you want to manage others?

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

We often fail to see the reality of people management. The moment you get the responsibility to lead a team, your missions and daily life completely change.

Meetings become the norm, rather than the exception. Everyone expects you to take decisions and stick with them. People come to you with problems you have no idea how to solve. Interpersonal conflicts menace the productivity of your team. Half of your team is exhausted, everyone on the internet talks about burnout, and you feel like you are failing your team.

Then, of course, you have the moments where you coach others to develop their skills. You watch them grow every day, nail a presentation, or sign a huge deal. You get great laughs and creative team moments. You recruit the next star. They integrate flawlessly in the company, get their first project out in the world, and their work does make a difference.

And then, there are the days when all the above happens in the span of 2 hours. You are excited, proud, confused, and drained at the same time.

Do you still think you want to become a manager?

If you are reading this, the answer should be yes, and I am grateful to have you as my reader!