Becoming the Boss 2 - Chapter summary from the Book \"HBR\'s 10 Articles for New Managers\" PDF

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Chapter summary from the Book "HBR's 10 Articles for New Managers"...

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Breeana Berumen MW 5:30pm-6:45pm Reading Notes: “Becoming the Boss” Central Theme: Linda A. Hill in “Becoming the Boss” talks about the struggle first time managers face. She talks about how employees come from being at the top of their game, star performers, then move up to management and are in over their heads. Executives are shaped by their first management position, the triumphs and challenges they face. Although, those experiences are not taught to upcoming new managers. There is a difficulty in the transition from employee to manager. The slower the transition the more the organization loses, human and financial costs. The strong individual skills and qualifications are no longer what is celebrated. Becoming a manager is a painful and difficult journey. They are responsible for setting up and implementing an agenda for a whole group where their prior experience as individual performers does not prepare for that. In addition, a managers’ success is measured by how well its subordinates are doing. Managers tend to say their role sometimes feels too big for one person. There is a gap between what new managers can do and the requirements of the new position. It is impossible to teach how to be a leader in a classroom, it is a constant learn by doing. An organization could benefit substantially if the transition into management was less traumatic. Managing others requires a new skill set, what made you successful in your prior career is not going to work in the new management role. Working beyond your capabilities requires ongoing trial and error, that is when you create a new professional identity. The difference between a good and a bad manager is that a good manager accepts failure but he or she finds out how to improve and makes sure it never happens again. Companies are investing in you, they know from experience that becoming a good manager does not happen overnight, it requires a lot of on the job training. There is a common misconception that a management position is a promotion with less work to do, that all managers do is boss people around without doing any physical work themselves. That is completely false, new managers are often surprised with the amount of interdependence that is required when leading a team. The myth is now that you are in charge, you have the authority to do what you want. When in reality, people are wary, as a new manager, now more than ever you are expected to prove yourself. There is constant pressure from top management and subordinates. A quote from the article reads, “Its humbling that someone who works for me could get me fired.”. Managers who were promoted because of their good work ethic can now being scrutinized for underperforming as a manager. Most new individuals in management who are unfamiliar in their role yearn for compliance from their employees. This is a common mistake often made from fear of being not respected. New managers rely on their formal authority, what they do and say goes. Although, compliance does not equal commitment. If an employee does what the manager says and gets the job done, he may not be living up to the organization’s standards. Employees should feel empowered to work to the best of their ability, not ordered to do so. If subordinates are not taking the initiative the risks that could make continuous change and improvement cannot be taken. As students, we have been educated about several successful leaders in school but fail to discuss how to become a successful leader.

Critical Analysis: Managers who allow their subordinates to take the initiative create their own credibility. Ways to become credible include demonstrating their character as a manager. Showing others that he or she knows how to do the right thing. New managers must build trust, influence, and maintain beneficial relationships amongst the organization. Often new managers focus on creating one- toone relationships within their subordinates when they should be focusing on working as a team. The second way to establish credibility is by demonstrating their competence. This is shown by knowing how to do the right thing at the right time. Sometimes managers have good intentions and want to do the right thing although they might not always know how to do it. There is a quote in the text that I think speaks volumes. Peter Isenberg was having an issue connecting with his senior traders. He felt that they were pushing back and not going along with his hands-on approach. One day, Isenberg sat back and asked the seasoned, senior traders a question on a topic he was unfamiliar with. He then mentioned, “Once I stopped thinking all the time and began to listen, people on the desk started to educate me about the job, and significantly, seemed to question my calls far less.” By Isenberg taking a step back and listening to what his employees had to say he gained their respect and started obtaining credibility. Another way to establish credibility is by demonstrating influence as a manager, having the ability to deliver and execute the right thing. Gaining and exerting influence is one of the hardest steps to establishing credibility. Being a new manager, you are like a little fish in a big pond. By doing these three things a new manager can gain reliability amongst the entire organization one step at a time. Main Takeaways: This article matters because it gives an insight into the journey of new managers. Being a college student, majoring in management and human resources, my goal during or after college is to be a manager of an organization. In high school I was taught about the history of others, how to do execute math problems, and to memorize what I have learned for a small period of time, often for a test. I was never taught about people: how they work, what motivates them, and the right way to get results. Hill looked into the lives of managers and understood the struggles they faced moving up to a management position. I agree, we are not taught how to lead others. Hill talked about the issues that are not spoken. The truth is that all managers struggle in their transition into becoming the boss. Knowing what the future holds I can better prepare myself for the struggles I will face in leading others. This article tells me how to prepare myself to create a credible professional image. It can be a struggle gaining the respect of employees that were once peers. We are brought up to learn how to succeed as an individual not as a whole. Before reading this article, I did not fully understand and appreciate the hard work and sacrifice a person must endure to become a good, respected, manager. It is very difficult to become a boss but once you overcome those obstacles your opportunities are endless. As an employee your skillset can only go so far. I have worked at organizations with poor management skills and I can see how management has a lot to do with how your company is perceived. How a team is led is going to reflect on your profits. If you are a dedicated manager and take the time to invest in your team, you will see higher profits and returning customers. Your reputation as an innovative and

resourceful manager will follow you to which ever company you decide to work for. This article gives real life perspective on how to become a good manager....