UNITED STATES─I have talked to so many people who work in management and being in management I totally understand their plight. There are so many people who think being in management is this great thing, but in my personal opinion the idea of being in management is the most stressful, overwhelming and frustrating task for many Americans. Why?
The level of stress that comes with being in management could place someone on a stretcher or place someone on the verge of a mental breakdown. Growing up I always assumed being in a management position was something to be excited about, but as I got older and heard stories, witnessed people’s response to stress and being in management myself, it’s not what you think.
What does that mean? Management requires a certain level of drive, discipline, tact, restraint, calmness, authoritativeness, authority that not every person possesses. Do I think I possess great management skills? Yes and no. I’m not perfect and I will be the first to admit that because when it comes to management the one thing I encounter time and time again, is that you cannot force people to work. I do believe that people think you can force a person to work, if they’re getting paid and I don’t believe that.
Why? Well, there are plenty of people who are paid to do a job, yet they still do not work. Some people are just not inclined or driven to work no matter what you do. I’m a firm believer of that, and it becomes frustrating for those in management attempting to push the right buttons without pushing too hard where you drive a staff member or employee away. On the flipside, being in management requires a ton of communication. You have to be able to read people’s wavelengths and that is not always easy to do.
I like to consider myself a no nonsense type of guy, but at the same time I’m sensitive to people’s plight, as long as it doesn’t interfere or tack onto my already heavy workload. Sometimes people think by being in management you should be able to take on as much as possible and never complain or stress about it. People that is not how the real world works! No one can just keep filling up their plate without it spilling over at some point. Yes, I’m going to get the easy, “Oh, just assign that task to someone else?” Ok, it’s been done, but here comes the problem, that person dropped the ball on doing what was requested of them, so now you have your workload on top of someone else’s workload.
That can cause someone in management to see his or her blood begin to boil because you relied on someone to do something they explained that they would do, but didn’t. The problem soon arises when your boss expected something to be done, that someone else faltered and now you’re in the hot seat for something not being taken care of.
Managers have to juggle, and that juggle gets to a point where you have to ask yourself is it time to throw in the towel? Do I really want to deal with the stress that comes with this position? Is the money worth it? I will be honest, the biggest misconception with being in management is people have the perception that the money you make is worth it. Let me let you in on a big secret America, the money you make in management sometimes is NOT worth the stress that comes with it. What good is making all this money, if you’re so stressed, so exhausted so frustrated that you’re ready to quit your job.
Yes, America I’m grappling with that dilemma. I honestly don’t think I want to be in management any longer. I rather be the boss of myself and not the boss of others. I don’t want to micromanage people anymore, I don’t want the stress of having to worry about A, B and C. I rather do what I know I am good at and let that be my primary focus and nothing else. Some people might say that is stupid to demote yourself from a position that you worked so hard to achieve.
It may not be the fact that you didn’t expect it to be this tough, it’s more the fact that the stress that being in management takes on the body. The toil can be debilitating so much to the point that you don’t want to get out of bed, you hate, or worst despise your job and the people you work with. Perhaps the biggest revelation of them all is that discovery that you are not happy with the job that you have and you’re ready to do what you never expected to do: quit.
When these things fester it’s time for you to have an honest conversation with yourself: can I continue working in this position in management and be happy? If the answer is no, you know what you have to do. This does not mean you quit, but you have to remove yourself from the position that does not bring the level of happiness you want in work. Yes, we all want to be happy with work, many of us don’t get that option, but for those of us who have the ability to control our fate, you don’t have to be in management if you don’t want to.
Written By Zoe Mitchell
