Question: I’m at that critical point in my career where either I make a move up or I get typecast as a worker bee. But, I’m looking to move to a manager position. Is it possible to achieve without having previous managerial experience. How do I show I’m capable of management responsibility without ever having a staff?
Answer: Just because you haven’t had the opportunity to manage staff doesn’t mean that you haven’t had the opportunity to demonstrate managerial skill. If you think about the things that managers do, then you may realize that you are already doing some of them.
For example, managers are expected to be given a goal and then deliver on it without being told what to do every step of the way. This means that managers are expected to make and execute a plan for achieving that goal, organize and direct resources towards this end, and to take ownership for the final result.
If you would like to be seen as “management material,” then you should treat any project you are given in this way. By showing that you are organized, dependable, and independent, you are showing in essence that you can do what managers do.
Similarly, although “managing” usually implies “managing people,” you should remember that that doesn’t just mean hiring and firing them. Managers are also expected to be motivators, coaches, and problem solvers. Anyone who works on a team will have many opportunities to demonstrate these latter abilities. In fact, being viewed as a leader by your peers, as someone who sets a good example, helps people accomplish their goals, and encourages people to do their best, is one of the best ways to be recognized as a leader by those at higher levels in the organization.
Matthew T. Grant, PhD, Aquent