While I promise not to make this blog a whiny mid-life crisis blog, I do occasionally think about my life and career. I am 40 after all. Maybe I think about my life more than occasionally.
Am I trapped doing the same job at the same company? Is there a corner office waiting for me somewhere? Am I too good at what I do to move up? Can I stomach being a heartless prick in order to move up? You might have all these or similar thoughts in your head, too.
I’ve started to realize that I need to consider my career in terms of being ‘manager’ instead of being ‘marketer’. One of the things that has been on my mind is how my behavior should/would change in order to be a better manager, and, of course, be ready to move up.
I found this article in June’s Men’s Health by Gil Schwartz enlightening, The Metamorphosis enlightening. Here’s a quick synopsis, in which he uses the metaphor of a bug changing:
“To achieve true career success, be prepared to make these 4 major transformations along the way”
- Associate to Manager
Transforming moment: The first move up comes when you’re willing to assert your personality over those more powerful than you. The capacity to be unpleasant about your own cause ruins you as a slave — and marks you as a manager. - Manager to Senior Manager
Transforming moment: You decide that young Bob can handle three or four of the 12 things on your plate. When he’s almost done, you grab them back so you take can credit for them. Crack! You just earned your new skin. - Senior Manager to Executive
Transforming moment: You realize you care more about 2017 than you do about 2007. You look in the mirror and see your father, or what he looked like when he dressed up for a big occasion. - Executive to Regular Guy
Well, this article was Gil’s way of announcing his retirement from CBS, I can only assume. In reading up on him, I found that he started writing under a pseudonym, telling tales of the corporate life, much like my favorite Big Picture Guy.
Anyway, I found this article (and previous columns) great, gritty food-for-thought. It’s hard to set true goals for your future without realistically understanding what it takes to get there, and what it really is like once you do.
The bigger question for me is “would I enjoy that job”, and I’ve determined the answer is “no”. I’ve come very close to moving into management roles in the past, and upon reflection just realize that, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, managing people isn’t my thing. It’s just not what I’m cut out to do, or gifted in.So…I’ll continue to be “the oldest Geek” around…:-)But – I’m not 40. Yet.
The bigger question for me is “would I enjoy that job”, and I’ve determined the answer is “no”. I’ve come very close to moving into management roles in the past, and upon reflection just realize that, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, managing people isn’t my thing. It’s just not what I’m cut out to do, or gifted in.So…I’ll continue to be “the oldest Geek” around…:-)But – I’m not 40. Yet.
Dave, I’m going to have to think about this one. Of course, I passed forty a long time ago, so it may be null and void for me.
Dave, I’m going to have to think about this one. Of course, I passed forty a long time ago, so it may be null and void for me.
Mike, yes that is kind of the question “would I enjoy that job”. Gil gives the more honestly human response than the “I wanna be a manager” blind goal would normally allow. Yes, lets think about it. And for the record, I’m more interested in managing ideas and projects than people. Maybe that’s one of the lessons here.Larry, I think you may be more interested in the metamorphosis to ‘regular guy’, although he gives no observations to that one.
Mike, yes that is kind of the question “would I enjoy that job”. Gil gives the more honestly human response than the “I wanna be a manager” blind goal would normally allow. Yes, lets think about it. And for the record, I’m more interested in managing ideas and projects than people. Maybe that’s one of the lessons here.Larry, I think you may be more interested in the metamorphosis to ‘regular guy’, although he gives no observations to that one.
Good luck with your quest. The post reminds me of Nietzsche’s 3 transformations: “I name you three metamorphoses of the spirit: how the spirit shall become a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child” (Nietzsche 54)On a less philosophical front, you seem to describe a large, Dilbert-type corporation. That’s only a tiny portion of the business world.
Good luck with your quest. The post reminds me of Nietzsche’s 3 transformations: “I name you three metamorphoses of the spirit: how the spirit shall become a camel, and the camel a lion, and the lion at last a child” (Nietzsche 54)On a less philosophical front, you seem to describe a large, Dilbert-type corporation. That’s only a tiny portion of the business world.