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Article #401: Why Your Best Employees Don't Deserve To Be Managers

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You'd think we'd know by now - just To reward them for getting better and
because someone is fantastic at doing better at that work, rather than only
something... doesn't mean they're equally paying them more if they step "up" to
as good at managing others to do that management... where they may generate
same thing. less value for the organization?
After all, the skill set required to Isn't a top salesman better off staying
practice a specific profession - whether in the field selling... than floundering
it's plumbing, hairdressing, in the office, struggling to organize and
engineering, selling, teaching, motivate his staff?
accounting or whatever - is entirely Doesn't a terrific teacher do more for
different from the skill set required to her students, herself and the school by
manage people. staying in the classroom, than spending
Yet organizations persist in promoting her time doing paperwork and trying to
"doers" into management roles. These manage other teachers?
promotions come with better-sounding Fortunately, some organizations have seen
titles, more money, more perquisites, the light. They do tie greater rewards to
more prestige and... more responsibility. greater responsibilities and greater
And they involve doing less - perhaps performances within the same role. In
none - of the "technical" work that the fact, some companies, like investment
manager did previously, and more (or all) banks, are renown for paying traders and
of the work of managing others. sales people much, much more than the
In one sense it's logical - a manager who people who manage them, simply because,
used to do the work himself or herself in the eyes of the bank, the traders and
should understand what his staff need to sales people generate more value.
do the work now. And yes, there are many Of course, as a "manager's advocate" I
managers who are just as good, if not would never suggest that managers
better, at managing others as they are shouldn't be compensated well, especially
performing the actual work. In fact, many given the challenges of managing people.
managers prefer to manage rather than do. But to be as productive and profitable as
But, as indicated above, there's no possible, organizations should tie
reason to assume that a good doer will greater pay and rewards to greater
make automatically make a good manager! responsibilities and performances,
Now, this isn't to say that a pyramidal whatever the role. That way, they'll have
organizational structure - where the many people doing and being their best.
are managed by the few - is necessarily So if you're responsible for "promoting"
a bad thing. As a delegation or people, I urge you to think twice before
management structure it works fine for promoting your best people into
many companies. management roles... and out of the jobs
But when getting more pay and other they love and do well at.
rewards is contingent on becoming a Instead, consider whether you can
manager, it's inevitable that people will enlarge, or give them more challenges in,
try to get, and will get, promoted into their current role?
management roles - regardless of whether Or, if they've performed exceptionally
they have the talent or passion to well, can you give them a bonus or some
manage. other special reward to recognize their
The result? Plenty of unhappy and efforts?
ineffective managers. Plenty of Of course, if you work for someone else,
frustrated people working for you may be limited in terms of what you
ineffective managers. And an organization can do... but if that's the case, and
that isn't performing at its optimum. you're committed to staying with your
Doesn't it make more sense for people to current employer... it may be time to
do the work they enjoy and are good at? start a revolution!






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