There are as many management theories as there are management gurus.
Management isn’t a science; it’s an art. It involves millions of people in thousands of organizations, each of which is unique. That’s what makes it so subjective, by definition.
One thing successful managers have in common is that they don’t drink the Kool-Aid. So, if you aspire to be a successful manager, examine below myths carefully:
1. It’s ironic that society is okay with bad spouses, bad marriages, bad workers, bad professionals - hell, bad people - but not bad bosses. Listen carefully: there’s a bell curve for all things involving people. It’s reality; it can never and will never change. Deal with it.
2. The assumption of the perpetual underachiever, being that because he can’t get a promotion it means the guy who did must know somebody. The truth is that overachievers work harder and yes, they schmooze harder too. That’s why they know more successful people and are therefore exposed to more opportunities.
3. Surely! Young managers should get some basic training, but anyone who says he was adequately prepared for his first management role is lying. A great deal of management skill simply can’t be taught; it’s best learned on the job, under fire, in the real world.
4. The notion ‘It’s all about managing people’ I most strongly want to disperse. Sure, managing people is a big component, especially for line managers, and employees certainly want to believe they’re first and foremost in the hearts and minds of their bosses. But if you look at the specific goals - how success is defined for most managers - they’re typically more about managing a function or a business than about managing people.
5. It is a huge misconception that ‘leadership and management are unrelated’. The truth is that good management skills make better leaders and great management requires excellent leadership skills.
6. Another misconception ‘MBAs make better managers’. Yes, you learn a lot getting an MBA. Yes, it’s a good piece of paper to have - especially from a top notch school - if you aspire to senior management. But no, there is no credible evidence that it will make you or anyone else a better manager. That’s largely because management is more art than science.
7. It is hard to do than it is to get in. If you’re capable, you’ll become a manager. But it takes a helluva lot more than that to become a successful manager.
8. As long as people are unique individuals and organizations are unique entities - and they surely are - there can be no formula for successful management.
Sure, certain qualities and processes work well for certain people in certain organizations and industries, but that’s a far cry from a general blueprint for management success. It simply doesn’t exist. So if you stop looking for formulas, you’ll go a long way to becoming a more successful manager.
Courtesy By Steve Tobak
Courtesy By Steve Tobak
