The interesting thing about management is that pretty much everyone thinks they could do it and do it better. It’s not rocket science. That is why so many people think they understand it. But it’s not easy which is why so many don’t progress. There are lots of things to learn. The moment you stop learning you get left behind because of the pace of change. I started in management 30 years ago and it has changed a lot. Spans of responsibility are much broader, budgets much tighter, judgments on performance much harsher, the time give to achieve success much shorter.
What I have learnt is the most effective managers are the ones who can adapt to these changes, who are prepared to work outside their comfort zones. The best managers get the best out of the people they manage. The most successful managers are the most resilient, often what sets them apart is their response to failure. Non of which is down to technical knowledge which makes the job different to being a rocket scientist. Those who are good at management know the business they’re in and what they don’t know they quickly find out. They understand how their organisation works, which levers to pull and which people to influence.
Almost anyone can be a manager but not so many are good at management.
Blair McPherson former Director, author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk
