Job Seekers Hub | Is It Time To Step Into Management?

Feb 22, 2023

Daniel Hale

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    Is it time to step into management?

    Steve Jobs summed it up when he spoke about the best Managers he’d seen at Apple;

    “They’re the great individual contributors who never, ever want to be a manager, but decide they want to be a manager, because no one else is going to be able to do as good a job as them,”

    Plenty of people are happy remaining in an IC role, and that’s fine, but for those that want to take the leap, the question is, how do you know if you will become a good manager, and where do you start anyway?

    In the words of Marissa Levin – “Being a manager can be a lonely job. You’re expected to be a problem solver, a decision maker, and a motivator, all while keeping your own emotions in check.”

    The first thing to ask yourself is, do you get a kick out of coaching and mentoring people? Maybe you’ve helped to mentor an SDR, and, aside from the obvious benefits of them performing well, you actually got a kick out of seeing them develop and grow. A certain satisfaction that you have influenced and shaped their sales process, self-confidence and ultimately, their results. If the answer is “yes” to that question, then you have a very solid start.

    Next, ask yourself if you really want the added responsibility with the pressure that goes hand in hand with that. In the good times, management can be exhilarating, but when a team is underperforming and there is low morale, it can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, and you have to lead the way to turn things around.

    Leadership isn’t for everyone, and sometimes the best ICs make the worst leaders. Having said that, there are plenty of companies that will promote internally first but will also hire candidates looking to step up from an IC role into a leadership role, especially start-ups.

    So, if this resonates with you, look out for the Team Lead roles which offer the opportunity to “step up” into the role – you might be surprised at how many there are.

     

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