Managing

Many companies place people in managers positions based solely on their knowledge of the company or industry. I think this a growing trend and it is a poor trend. To manage people, you have to have a special type of personality. You have to lead by example, motivate others, get involved, COMMUNICATE, have the ability to effectively train and develop the people under you, be able to listen, be able to understand people's different personalities and dynamics, etc. Unfortunately the trend I seem to see in the business world is manager by default. We take someone and put them in a position of authority just because they have worked there long, they have job knowledge, or they kiss ass. I am all for people growing within an organization, but I feel in order to manage people effectively and truly be a leader, you have to have to be born with those skills or really have people influence you and develop you which takes years to do. I see so many managers out there who just worry about how they look and what they do. Managers for the most part, are not held accountable anymore for the training and development of their employees. Somehow, it's solely the employees responsibility to learn and grow, since when? Isn't that the DEFINITION of a manager? Someone who leads and MANAGES people? When I managed, I was not only rated on my performance, but on the performance and growth of my people. My people were a reflection of me. It was my responsibility to weed out or work with the bad seeds, to develop and bring out the best in everyone, and to have everyone working together to reach a common goal where everyone was treated equally for their efforts. The things I see today scare me. People get in these positions of authority who don't possess an ounce of interpersonal skills. They don't lead. Certain skills and personality traits can't be taught, you have to be born with them and some just are not cut out for a leadership position, yet companies don't take these things into account, they just promote the person who's been there longest or "knows the most."

In professional sports we've seen it so many times. Great players who retire and become coaches or managers and they suck! Just because they are good at their craft and possess knowledge, does not mean they can lead and motivate people! Some can, some can't...it's not automatic and should not be assumed. I feel personality should be taken into account more than job knowledge many times when choosing a manager. Job knowledge can be taught, personality and an innate ability to lead is something you are born with.