Happy Boss's Day! Five Thoughts for the Future

Today is Boss's Day. I think that we should consider renaming it Manager's Day, since many of us don't use the term "boss" much any longer. But since I am not in charge of official days (who is?), we shall stick with Boss's Day.

Management is an honorable craft and a tough one to do well. I have great respect for those of you who willingly jump into the messiest parts of your organization and say, "I'll help!" That's what managers do, right? They make things better - or they should.

I am still convinced - five years after writing High Impact Middle Management- that being a manager is exciting, a privilege and an opportunity to make a big difference. Great middle managers do and juggle so much and they impact how we all feel about our work and our lives. Managers matter.

So let's all raise a glass (or Krispy Kreme) to our managers! They have thrown themselves into the the corporate snake pit wearing a smile and bringing determination, passion, and selflessness. Even if the delivery of their words or deeds is not yet fully developed - management is a craft - it is an amazing endeavor they have taken on and a humbling responsibility they have accepted.

Five thoughts for the future:

• Management is only going to get harder - we need retention strategies for managers or they will bail.
• Management is a social act and how we communicate is changing - we need to help managers stay current so they can connect with employees.
• Management is personal and the essence of management is about relationships - the greatest management tool we have is time spent together, working through things, so let's not take away opportunities for people to work together.
• Management is less attractive to many young professionals - we need to rethink the role of manager to make it fit the new reality. Nimbleness is key.
• Managers might first be attracted to the money and title, but managers who stay managers are almost always doing it because they want to serve others.

Comments

[Wally Bock]

Great post, Lisa. I especially like "Management is a social act and how we communicate is changing."

I think a basic question we need to ask is: "With all the changes in communication technology and information availability, do we need management positions in all the places we have them?

[lisa haneberg]

Wally - that is a very good question! I think it would be helpful if we questioned our notions about how the mgt role should look and operation and where and, and, and... Might even be a great topic for a thinktank type work session with a bunch of managers from all walks of life.

[Jennifer Miller]

Lisa,

You make an astute observation in your 4th and 5th bullet points. Younger professionals do NOT see the benefits of managerial positions as they are today. Sometimes even the extra pay isn't enough.

To Wally's point, the role is evolving, and for those still interested in management, senior leadership needs to fundamentally reshape what it means to be a manager.

[lisa haneberg]

Jennifer - I totally agree. I know we are all starting this conversation with some clients, but how do we get this issue some larger attention?

[Mike]

I'm afraid I have a somewhat dim view of management. What I see, as a worker, is people who read the mangement book-of-the-month and then make changes accordingly without passing any of it through the thought process. And woe to the manager who questions.

I do like my manager as a person and I liked the manager before her. They're smart and well-meaning. But they're trapped in the yes-person role, confined to speaking in acronyms and doing their best to act as if what they are doing is rational and truly makes sense for the customers.

I could go on, but there's no need. It's no wonder that so many younger people look at the hollow managers of today and resist falling into the life of endless meetings and of trying to justify arbitrary decisions from above.