With Great Power Comes….More Work
Brian Ray
Guest Author
Many individuals want the prestige of being in Management, yet they lack the understanding that extra work and responsibility is part of the package. The honest truth is that leaders always have to take on more work than others, and often must be prepared to sacrifice additional amounts of their time beyond the norm in order to maintain the workflow of their organizations.
Instead, many people pursuing Management level positions fall in love with the sense of power and control that they hope being in Management will give to them, but this is nothing more than wishful thinking in need of a reality check. Running a department or company takes far more energy and discipline than just working a job within one.
In addition to meeting the goals of the department/organization, a Manager must also face the possibility of having to deal with some (or even all) of the following issues every day:
- Unpredictable emotional problems that their employees bring with them to the office that affect focus - such as family issues, external stress, etc.
- Lack of motivation or a sense of apathy among their employees.
- Personal vendettas between individuals both within and outside the department.
These points are a summation of another larger aspect of Management that many fail to consider, the fact that a Business Leader must also understand the psychology of the people within their environments. Without this understanding, it can become virtually impossible to accomplish goals, or even day to day functions in extreme cases.
So, when a person decides that the time has come in their career to move into a higher level, it is of the utmost importance that they carefully review all the responsibilities and requirements involved to ensure that they up to the tasks, and not setting themselves up for failure. Through the course of the review, don’t be afraid to talk to others who have reached the level(s) in question.
Remember to ask about both the good things, and the challenges they encountered. Then, more importantly, how they overcame those challenges. Seeking the counsel of successful individuals like these is one of the best things a professional can do for themselves in their pursuit of career advancement. It also helps to avoid surprises and misconceptions. After all, the last thing a person needs is to be in a new job or position that turns out to be something they ultimately don’t want, or isn’t what they expected.
So, after considering all the angles, and once you conclude that you are ready, don’t let anything stand in your way. Once you are ready, achieving a new level in their career is a very rewarding experience that can boost a person’s confidence, and open the door to many new and exciting opportunities.
