Why do so many managers become managers by chance?

Many managers don’t want to manage and take responsibility for people. . . Sounds strange? A bit improbable? Unfortunately it’s not uncommon.

It is particularly noticeable among middle-rank managers. Contrary to appearances, therefore, it is not easy for employers to find a good manager to who will lead a team efficiently.

Why are there so many managers who do not have a calling to manage?

I could make a long list of reasons. The crucial one, however, is that there is no alternative career path that ensures higher salaries… and an ambition to be promoted.

So it’s worth considering whether a good expert should become a manager. Employers often think that this is the only way for such employees to take on more responsibility for what they do and at the same time be satisfied with a higher salary. However, there are other solutions to this (to be discussed in a separate post).

A team naturally needs a leader who takes the lead and shows direction. Even in smaller, flat organizations a manager plays an important role. In 2021, an experiment was carried out for which several different teams were called. Some of them were asked to select a leader before the experiment. The other groups were left without managers. Of course, the teams headed by the “Top Dog” performed the tasks much better - 63% of them completed them within an hour. In comparison, the teams without a leader did reach the goal, but only in  44%.

Studies show that even an average manager can positively influence a team’s productivity. Gallup studies have revealed that managers often pay a high price for this – they suffer from burnout. Especially in 2021, burnout was more common among managers than among employees (according to Gallup).

How do you find a competent manager with a vocation and energy that is contagious to others?

This is where, among other things, soft skills of a manager and our ability to assess them come into play. It is not a bad idea to rely on the “eye of the headhunter” in that respect, to trust those who have experience in executive search. So if you’re looking for top and/or mid-level managers, write to me or the RICG mailbox.