Management Toolkit

Ten signs you shouldn't become an IT manager

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John McKee Tech Republic

Published: 07 Jan 2008 16:30 GMT

...assigns and directs the tasks at hand, you're probably not going to enjoy being a manager. Face the facts now and you can get on with enjoying your life as a team member.

6. Being stuck in the middle between the leaders and the team makes your stomach churn
The real, day-to-day life of most managers is that they have people above them and people below them.

In many cases, the ones above them will expect the manager to perform well, create thoughtful reports, give them answers to their questions, and develop action plans and proposals.

In a similar fashion, those below them will want someone they can come to for direction, advice, counselling and feedback. Both of these "constituents" will be cranky on many occasions, forgetting all the good stuff you've done in the past.

If you don't relish having to feed two sets of snapping alligators every day, it may be time to decide this is the wrong zoo.

7. You prefer to keep a low profile, just doing your job; when people look at you, it reminds you how many flaws you have
To be most effective, a good boss has to be visible.

We all like to see our supervisor out there on the line alongside us. It makes us feel like we're doing valuable things all day long. And we appreciate it when the leader can stand up and get things straightened out when they're in chaos.

If you don't want to be scrutinised over your appearance, the way you talk, your hair, your management style, and your ability to keep things running smoothly in the heat of the day, perhaps you should consider staying put.

8. Having a verbal duel in a meeting isn't your idea of fun and you feel uncomfortable standing up to communicate in a meeting
Ever notice how some people always have just the right response when someone says something to them? And those people who have no apparent fear of public speaking?

You know who I mean; they always have just the right words and ideas on the spur of the moment.

If you get anxious, choked up, turn red or freeze when called on to participate in a debate or idea-generating forum, you may not want to get into a role that requires good communication ability in group settings.

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9. You dislike having to work hours beyond the "regular" schedule
Many people want a job they like, that pays fairly, and that has fixed and regular hours. In many companies, they are unlikely to find the last part if they choose to enter the management ranks.

It's a sad fact of life that for a lot of people, their hourly wage declines when they get promoted to the job of manager. The raise they were given becomes less significant when they start looking at the longer days on the job or even homework or weekend work.

10. You could never fire someone because after all, everyone needs a job
I was once told by a manager at a software development firm that he found doing annual appraisals to be about as appealing as going in for dental surgery. He believed that his boss and the HR department always expected him to push his team to improve or else make changes.

Like many organisations, his company was under the gun for productivity, and they wanted him to take some action to show that it wouldn't allow poor performers to hang around. They told him that it was a bad signal to the real high performers if they saw people being allowed to stay employed while they didn't deliver the goods.

If this sounds like the kind of situation that could cause you to reach for that little bottle of purple pills, I suggest you don't make the move into management just yet.

John McKee is the author of Career Wisdom and 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot, and is one of America's leading executive coaches. His website, BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is an online destination for professionals, including small- and large-business owners to entry-level managers to senior-level executives — and everyone in between. He writes a weekly blog called Success Coach in the TechRepublic IT Leadership section.