Seek out the reluctant candidate who needs to be cajoled into
accepting the position because they are not driven by naked ambition,
they are not over confident, they will not see dissent as personal
disloyalty or feel so insecure in the post as to shut down debate. If
their reluctance is not based on doubts about their ability but an
accurate assessment of the difficult nature of the post and the
foresight to see the difficulties that lie ahead then they will not
underestimate the task or make unrealistic promises. They are more
likely to surround themselves with people who have the skills and
knowledge to meet the challenges and more likely to listen to them,
rather than those than will tell them what they think they want to hear.
I have on many occasions suggested and encourage some one I thought
would make a good appointment to apply for a more senior post. In my
experience those who show reluctance do so because of their insight
into the nature of the role and the difficulties they anticipate
encountering are not letting ambition cloud their judgment. They do
not lack confidence in their own ability although they do sometimes
underestimate the impact they have and underplay their achievements,
more often than not attributing success to the team rather than their
leadership. Often they balk at the management culture they simply
don’t want to be that type of manager , work those excessive hours ,
risk upsetting a work-life balance that they think is good for them
and their family.
I genuinely believe it is possible to retain your integrity and stay
true to your management style in a more senior post even if that is
not the culture being modelled by your boss or colleagues. Like wise I
believe you don’t have to get sucked into demonstrating your
commitment to the organisation by arriving early, leaving late and not
taking your full holiday entitlement. You will be judged but if you
and your team are delivering, and I am confident you will, then how
you do it is less likely to be of concern to your boss. The thing is
the more people like you go for and get senior posts the more likely
the management culture is to change.
Blair Mcpherson former Director author and blogger www.blairmcpherson.co.uk