Great individual contributors don’t always make great managers. Conversely, great managers may not have been the best individual contributors. In my 20+ years in the industry, I’ve often wondered why companies don’t always recognize this distinction. Promoting an overperforming or eager individual contributor (IC) to a managerial role can be a poor decision if that person’s personality does not align with the qualities of empathetic and compassionate leadership. When the primary goal is meeting objectives and deliverables, and culture and employee satisfaction are not priorities, it undermines the essence of great leadership.
Different Skillsets Required
Managers require a different skillset from individual contributors. An individual contributor’s focus is on personal success and providing results. However, as a leader, focusing solely on oneself can result in a lack of awareness regarding the success and well-being of the team. Without proper training in management, communication, and leadership, they may struggle to effectively guide their teams.
The Peter Principle
The Peter Principle, introduced by Laurence J. Peter, states that individuals in a hierarchy tend to rise to their level of incompetence. Essentially, if you excel in your current role, you will likely be promoted until you reach a position where you no longer perform well. This principle often explains why some managers struggle in their roles.
Self-Awareness as a Solution
The key to avoiding this pitfall is self-awareness. This is why emotional intelligence is so important which I talk about extensively here. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. If you aspire to become a manager, consider your motivations and whether they align with your intentions and aspirations. Leadership can be learned and great leaders never stop learning. If you do inspire to be a leader or a manager, study up on what it takes. Managers who have themselves been led by poor leaders may adopt similar behaviors, perpetuating a cycle of bad management. Without constructive feedback from their superiors or team members, managers may be unaware of their shortcomings or the negative impact of their actions.
Why Do Star Individual Performers Make Lousy Managers?
Research supports the idea that high-performing individual contributors often make poor managers. A study from Yale and MIT looked at over 53,000 salespeople across 214 US companies between 2005 and 2011. They found that the best performers were promoted to management at higher rates, but their managerial performance was often subpar. Interestingly, sales under managers who were not top performers saw a 30% increase after being promoted, likely due to these managers’ collaboration skills.
Empathy and Power
Another reason leaders may fail as they climb the corporate ladder is a decline in empathy.
Research done by Dacher Keltner, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, has found that individuals in positions of power have a reduced level of empathy and ability to connect with others emotionally. The key finding was that power can make people more focused on their own goals and less likely to consider the emotions and needs of others. Power can lead to a decreased ability to empathize with others’ feelings and concerns. In Keltner’s book The Power Paradox, he points out that power can diminish a leader’s self awareness and become more impulsive, less risk-aware, and even increase their tendency to engage in unethical behavior, driven by a sense of entitlement.
Neuroscientific research by Paul J. Zak published in HBR in 2017 shows that trust, built on empathetic interactions, leads to higher productivity, more energy at work, greater collaboration, and lower employee turnover. I can vouch for this myself as I have both led and been on teams where I truly felt that having a great team can make a world of a difference.
There have been numerous studies in addition to the ones I mentioned above that have proven some powerful insights:
- Leadership Effectiveness: Empathy is strongly linked to leadership effectiveness, influencing communication, trust, team cohesion, and overall job performance.
- Employee Well-being: Empathy in the workplace is associated with higher job satisfaction, reduced stress, and lower turnover rates, contributing to better mental health and well-being.
- Organizational Success: Empathetic organizations tend to be more successful, with higher employee engagement, stronger financial performance, and more resilient cultures, especially during crises.
My Approach to Leadership
I entered leadership not to gain power but to empower others. Trusting your team to make the right decisions is crucial. Here’s what I believe ideal leadership should encompass:
1. Openness and Transparency A lack of transparency and communication is detrimental. When employees have to rely on gossip or external platforms like Blind for information, it’s a bad sign.
2. Regular One-on-Ones Ensure regular one-on-one meetings with your team members, not just for updates but to provide visibility, highlight achievements, and discuss progress. This helps in marketing your wins and letting leadership know you are making a positive impact.
3. Engagement Leadership should make time for their team members, showing interest in their interests, motivations, goals, and ambitions. A lack of concern from leadership can demotivate employees.
4. Thoughtful Decision-Making Indecisiveness or constant changes in decisions can be frustrating. Thoughtful, well-considered decisions are crucial for maintaining stability.
5. Collaboration and Feedback Leadership should foster two-way conversations, actively listening to team members’ thoughts and concerns, not just issuing directives.
6. Empathy A lack of empathy in leadership can be damaging. Empathetic leaders understand and address the needs and feelings of their team.
7. Opportunities for Growth and Feedback Regular, constructive feedback is crucial for growth. Discussions about the future, role impact, and improvement opportunities are essential.
8. Availability Good time management is vital. Leaders should be reachable and responsive, making time for productive meetings with clear agendas and outcomes.
9. Equality Treat everyone equally, valuing strengths and addressing weaknesses constructively. Avoid favoritism and bias, which can harm team dynamics.
Culture
Finding companies with the right culture can be very important. If an organization prioritizes short-term results over employee well-being or has a toxic culture, it can perpetuate bad management practices. In such environments, managers may feel pressured to achieve targets at the expense of their team’s morale and development. Management can be a stressful role, especially in fast-paced or high-pressure environments. If managers are overworked or burnt out, they may become more focused on task completion than on leading and supporting their team effectively. When managers are rewarded for metrics like productivity or cost-cutting, rather than team satisfaction and development, they may make decisions that negatively impact their team.
Conclusion
Bad managers exist for various reasons, from the misalignment of individual contributor skills with managerial roles to the detrimental effects of power on empathy. However, by embracing self-awareness, focusing on empathy, and prioritizing transparency and engagement, we can cultivate better leaders who empower their teams and foster positive, productive work environments.
