Most people I know will agree: great individual contributors may not be excellent managers or coaches. This is a complex problem because a manager is expected to set vision, help build skills, show how to get things done, motivate, handle feedback, plan for growth, and more.
However, in corporate environments, we tend to turn a blind eye to the fact that not everyone may be a good manager.
Examples from Other Domains
- A great cricket player may not be a successful coach. The coach might struggle to explain how to break down the steps to play a certain shot that comes naturally to him.
- An excellent student may not be a good teacher. She might get impatient while explaining a math problem.
- An outstanding cook may not be able to teach someone to cook well. He might miss informing some tiny but important steps that come naturally to him.
- A 10X developer may not be a good team leader. She might think it's easier for her to code than teach the new developer.
Why Skill-Building Fails
- Lack of empathy (hence patience)
- Inability to break down and explain the steps
- Missing important details that only you know
- Choosing the easy way out — do it yourself
"I suck at management. I'm a reasonably smart person. I think I could become passably okay at management with some training. I don't want to spend any years of my life becoming passably okay at something. I would rather take those same calories and take the things that I'm good at that I actually enjoy." — Dharmesh Shah
So What?
Companies should start looking at managers differently. It is not a natural skill set for everyone who is good at their job.
- It's not a one-day workshop when you get elevated; it's an ongoing learning journey.
- The curriculum shouldn't only be about how you give feedback but also about empathy.
- Being a manager should not be the only growth path; this forces people to be substandard in this role.