1 Game Changing Tip for Transitioning to Management
Not all paid experience is valuable & not all valuable experience is paid
Sometime within the last 10 years, it occurred to me that there wasn’t only one way to “fill my cup” when it came to job satisfaction. I remember preparing for my annual review to make a pitch that I should grow my team and move into a managerial role. I had managed before, but not on my current team, but it quickly became clear that my boss was not supportive of my development or these goals. I wasn’t in a place to leave the job for a variety of reasons, so I did a bit of soul searching and dug a bit deeper into why I wanted to move up and here’s what I realized:
Work wasn’t the only place where I could be a manager.
I didn’t just want to be a manager for the pay bump (though, of course, that would have been great). I wanted to be a manager (again) to continue growing, to offer mentorship, to increase my impact. I wanted to be a manager to support people. To lead!
So, find other places to lead.
My individual contributor role allowed me decent work/life balance, so I leaned into the “life” side of things and took on additional volunteer roles. I made it clear to those organizations that I was excited to take on leadership positions and I busted my butt to add as much value as I could. I was quickly able to make a major impact, I was able to recruit and manage a team, I have since continued to move up within those organizations and I’m honored that they continue to allow me to provide as much value as I can.
Now here is the real kicker, a few years later there had been some shifts in my department and I made the pitch again - but this time, I was also able to cite my existing managerial roles outside of work and share how much value I provided with that team. And this time, they went for it and I was able to bring on and manage a team.
Sure, in an ideal world, some would argue that I should have looked for a managerial position elsewhere. But in reality, it was the perfect balance for me. It allowed me to fill all of my cups - financial, benefits, personal development, ability to grow and lead - and the best part for me is the long term relationships and benefits I’ve seen from expanding my connections and my impact beyond that workplace!
Bottom Line:
If you want to move into a managerial role but you’re light on actual management experience, find a way to lead outside of your workplace
Volunteer organizations are a great way to do this and if you prove your value, you can often expand your role/move up
Not all valuable experience is paid & not all paid experience is valuable
