NAVIGATING THE MANAGERIAL MAZE: A PRACTITIONER’S VIEW

It is often said that change is the only constant and this holds very true for individuals who hold managerial roles with competing and often increasing demands. When an individual gets promoted into a managerial role, this transition is considered as a point in time activity. However, the broadened role boundary comes with a lot of micro-transitions between the multiple hats that managers wear. It can be challenging for a new manager to find a fit in their new role especially as they are learning a new set of skills and are not only responsible for their own performance but also that of their teams. As individuals transition into managerial roles, it is important that they are aware of what subtleties to look out for and how best to navigate these.

Managerial fit, better known as managerial congruence, is how an individual perceives their compatibility with the managerial role. A manager has several responsibilities that may be strategic, people management related, administrative and likely some that are technical or specialist in nature. These responsibilities may overlap in some areas, but they can also be quite distinct. To attend to and balance these multiple demands, a manager is forced to make ongoing cognitive shifts, and this can be especially challenging if the individual is new to the role. So, how can a new manager adjust to these growing expectations and achieve managerial congruence?

The first thing to consider is how the new manager perceives managerial congruence, and what they need from the role specifically. Research suggests that everyone has three basic psychological needs that facilitate growth and human development. These are needs for:

1. Autonomy, where an individual seeks to control their actions.

2. Competence, where the individual seeks to affect their surrounding through their skills and abilities.

3. Relatedness, where an individual seeks a connection with others.

In a work setting, these needs are experienced differently depending on the role the individual holds and will therefore be satisfied in unique ways. For example, an individual contributor is responsible for their own output, therefore, their need for competence is likely driven by a desire to show mastery in their technical abilities. Showcasing their technical mastery is how they meet that need. On the other hand, a manager is responsible for their own output and that of their team, therefore, their need for competency is likely driven by their ability to manage their team’s technical expertise as much as their own. If the manager can exhibit this ability, their need for competence is likely to be satisfied. Here, both individuals seek to fulfil the same need, but they approach it differently because their roles demands are not the same. When the manager understands how they perceive managerial congruence, they become aware of the need they seek to fulfil, and this acts as a good guide for them on how best to navigate increasing role demands.

A manager is expected to drive impact and create value. This requires the individual to prioritise how they will allocate their time and cognitive resources, ideally by narrowing their role boundary to craft out and avoid lower impact activities. On the surface, the term avoidance can be seen as being negative, evading or abdicating one’s responsibilities or accountability but it might be quite the contrary. Avoidance crafting is an intrinsic and proactive process that can be used effectively as a developmental tool for the new manager and their team without, negatively impacting business continuity.

When work demands are high, it is easy to become operationally absorbed, therefore, the manager should choose which tasks to focus on and which ones to delegate (need for autonomy). Delegating routine and standardised tasks is an effective way to broaden the team’s skill set. The manager is available to provide support where needed without being bogged down in the details, this frees up time and effort to focus on high priority, high impact and value creating work. In other words, the manager gets time to develop their new (managerial) skill set. When delegation is successful, it provides another opportunity to further develop the team. The manager can provide the space for their team to take up the technical roles that the manager previously held, coaching them where needed and helping them to upskill. Stepping back and letting others stand out as experts speaks to the individual’s capability as a manager, someone who can support the growth and promotion of others (need for competence). This overt support can be especially useful for managers who get promoted to lead a team they were previously a part of, as an individual contributor. If an individual is a team member one day and the team manager the next day, it changes the nature of interactions within the team. This can make the manager feel isolated very quickly. However, when the team feels that the manager is genuinely concerned about growth at a team level, it can ease the team dynamics (need for relatedness).

Managerial congruence is a person centric experience, and it may not look the same for all managers. These idiosyncratic modifications may improve the manager’s work experience; however, management does not occur in a vacuum. The individual’s perception of their managerial fit may be different from how others experience it. It is important that the manager creates a feedback loop that will help them meet their role needs without diluting, or souring, the managerial experience for others. Outside of the team, the manager may also seek out peers who currently hold or have previously held similar roles as a sounding board for their approach.

This article is informed by findings from research funded by the Irish Research Council and Teagasc under the Employment-Based Programme (2017-2021).