Stop making everyone a manager: How to avoid the poor-fit pitfall
4-minute read
At LifeLabs Learning, we’ve helped managers at over 2,000 of the world’s most innovative companies quickly become more effective in their jobs. We know that anyone can become a better manager faster by learning core skills. But the reality is that not everyone should be a manager.
Contrary to popular assumption, a manager role isn’t the more “advanced” version of an independent contributor role. It requires entirely different skills, strengths, and motivators. Assuming that a great engineer will be a great manager is like assuming that a great engineer will be a great ballet dancer.
The fact is that companies with the most effective managers are good at hiring candidates with the most role-relevant aptitudes. Companies that focus on skill development in the absence of effective selection just end up spending more time and money than they need on helping people get better at a role they probably shouldn’t have.
Aside from having a strong manager selection process, companies can avoid the pitfall of making just about anyone a manager using the following two strategies:
1. Provide a (very) realistic job preview
Many people agree to or even strive toward a manager role even though they aren’t sure exactly what it entails. Help your internal and external candidates self-select in or out of your interview process by making the role as transparent as possible.
Provide a realistic job preview by sharing the manager role description, success metrics, behavioral standards, skill requirements, and approximate time allocation.
If you still see an influx of poorly-matched candidates, offer other role previews such as quotes from or short video interviews with current managers on the highs and lows of the job. You can even hold monthly AMA (ask me anything) sessions with current managers talking about their experiences and daily lives.
On the flip side, be careful not to dissuade people from applying for the role just because they don’t fit the typical manager profile at your company.
Here is a sample application invitation we use in job postings at LifeLabs Learning:
Want to apply but not sure if you'd be the right fit? If this role calls to you, we want to hear from you. There is no 'perfect' candidate. Everyone brings something different to the team, and our diversity is what makes us strong.
You can also help excellent candidates who might hesitate to apply more easily imagine themselves in the manager role by asking current managers with a wide range of identities to talk about their experiences.
2. Promote non-manager paths
Another important strategy to avoid the poor-fit pitfall is to make sure that people leadership is not the only pathway to career growth for your employees. Here are some ways to avoid the “one way up” trap:
Create expert individual contributor tracks/roles that are as well-paid and respected as managers.
Develop broad compensation bands in which a highly skilled individual can earn more than a new manager, even if the manager’s earning potential is higher over time.
Provide meaningful development experiences for individual contributors.
Give individual contributors opportunities to access and contribute to important company decisions and plans.
Use a co-leadership model with one leader responsible for supporting the team and one responsible for directing work. The two leaders can regularly calibrate to provide feedback and assess performance.
Strip away some or all management responsibilities from team leaders and delegate them to an internal or external coach.
Rotate leadership within the team, with managers serving a 6-12 month “term.”
Of course, helping mismatched candidates filter themselves out of the interview process is only one piece of the puzzle. Read on to develop an effective and inclusive manager selection process for the candidates who do apply!
Want help accelerating your manager, team, individual contributor, or hiring effectiveness? Contact LifeLabs Learning!
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