To think not everyone’s cut out for leadership and that’s okay?

Oh 100% agree and it’s the people who think they’re good at it who usually shouldn’t be doing it

@PermanentTemporarysane here. I did a secondment as a band 6 and was glad I didn’t get permanent. I’m happy as a 5.

I was promoted against my will into a leadership role and hated it (and was crap at it). Stuck it for 2 years (for the money) until they finally saw sense and gave me a sideways move into a senior individual contributor role.

I’m also a band 6 HCP. I have attempted a couple of band 7 interviews but both times was conflicted about it and relieved not to get the job. It’s always interesting watching some others move to band 7 and take on management responsibilities very naturally. I really don’t think that’s me, and that’s ok.

Absolutely, I hate being a leader when I have to be. I recently did a degree in leadership and innovation. (Not my choice) and it made me realise I am quite happy being an Indian not a chief. It’s a skill that some people have and some just don’t have. My best friend is a born leader and very good at it.

To an extent I agree, some people are not cut out for leadership...in my experience many of the people who become priests in the c of e and non conformist churches fall into this brackets...they have a sense they are "called" to a position of leadership. Many times they are dreadful.

But there is no training, no day to day mentorship or example to follow. I have watched over the years a woman who was promoted to a management role at a hotel I visit regularly. She started off being dictatorial and blunt with staff and customers. But within a short period she became a firm customers favourite and clearly liked and respected.

People grow as leaders, often they start by trying to impose themselves on a role...they should develop with training and being mature enough to analyse what they are doing

Yes!

I am not a leader. I am a second in command who gets things done, at the request of and using the authority of the leader.

But because I am good at getting the things done, I am pushed to be the leader...

I agree totally.

im a mental health nurse and qualified 30+ years. I’ve never been interested in managing. Currently I’m freewheeling down to retirement and am doing Bank work for 2-3 days a week. I normally work in mental health liaison services, so work mainly in ED and the wards assessing and reviewing those presenting with mental health needs. I’m a band 6. I th ink at this level there’s a lot to be said for frontline experienced staff. I don’t want to manage because I’d be stuck in an office with no f2f work which is what I like.

I’m good at managing my money, don’t live an extravagant lifestyle and I don’t need the extra money that a management position would give and would rather not have the stress!!!!

You're absolutely right. I remember having a review meeting and it was definitely frowned upon that I wasn't ambitious and desperate for promotion.

I was in teaching. Most of my friends would have been excellent HTs but chose to remain in the classroom as they didn't want to spout educational wankspeak and push ideologies and initiatives they didn't believe in, Most of the heads I've worked for were useless in the classroom.

Totally OK.

When I was teaching, a bossy manager said to me and another teacher: "Don't you WANT to be headteachers???" We both said, "No - we like actually teaching". We both got marked down for lack of ambition*. 😀

I understand that it's good to be dynamic, always learning and improving and adapting etc etc, but some people like the job at a particular level and don't want to climb the greasy pole.

Also - teaching in particular has always suffered from the problem that the most successful classroom practitioners get promoted out of the classroom....and there've been a number of initiatives over the years to try and promote people but keep them actually in front of the kids.

Also....being a manager is a very specific skillset and I've rarely had what I'd call a good manager over my career. I have a real dislike of people who are promoted to take on management responsibilities but don't actually do the hard stuff that's involved in managing people. I wouldn't want it - but if you apply for management posts, then do the tough stuff please!

*(I should perhaps say that I'm talking about a time when classroom teaching was less stressful and more enjoyable than it is now.)

I think it's the same in many skilled jobs. I work in IT and often people get promoted because that's the only way to progress. I did work for one company which had a technical pathway as well as a management pathway, but most places you go technical and then you have to go management if you want yo progress further.

The technical role, be it nursing or IT or probably lots of other roles does not automatically mean you're a good leader. Being able to program tricky solutions doesn't mean you have the emotional intelligence required for management. And some people are leaders even without being in a formal position.

I know most workplaces want their managers to be leaders, but they are not synonymous. Some managers try to rule by a dictatorship, but if it came to it, no one would choose to follow them, because they do not know how to win people over in their hearts and minds.

OP this is so true. I am self-employed and run my own business, but honestly - if I had to employ anyone I would crumble! I'd try too hard to be their friend just so they would like me, and earn their "respect" that way. I totally agree with you - not everyone is cut out for it. And that's totally okay!

I agree with you. I think this especially true in nursing. Good nurses don’t necessarily make good leaders and definitely not good managers. But I’ve also known people who aren’t particularly good clinical nurses who become really good leaders and climb the ladder well.
I think the NHS isn’t particularly good at supporting leadership.
I am a national leader. I hated being a manager (before I went into nursing), but I like to think of myself as being a strong advocate of people, including my own very good manager.

That's very true op

I took a closer look at their leadership before investing, and seeing Mark Morabito at the helm gave me some confidence because of his long track record in mining and raising capital. It helped me feel more comfortable watching how their projects unfold and how they talk about building shareholder value.

I used to think that, and then I became a mother. So I have to be the leader, wanting it or not. I don't think it's a choice, is it? (Funnily enough, it gave me the skills to be the boss in work contexts)

Same here. It’s not for me.

You've described my boss

So true! I know if I was a manager I would be compassionate, dedicated, empathetic and conscientious.

However I am NOT particularly confident, or assertive, outgoing or a natural leader.I also struggle with too much responsibility in the field I work in (it's the sort of job where there's quite abit of risk assessing and if I got it wrong there could be serious consequences for people's lives)
So it won't happen.

This is how I feel too! Apparently I am good at it and very respected. I’ve had at least one person who told me I was the best manager he’s ever worked with, and several others who have expressed similar sentiments.

I still hate it and don’t want the stress and responsibility. So much that I’m quitting my job and taking a career break. I need to figure out a well paid individual contributor role that I would be suitable for.

Absolutely agree. I am not a leader (at least not in a workplace context) and recognising that has done wonders for my mental health.

Hmmm. I both agree and disagree.

I agree in the sense that some people clearly find that leadership comes a lot more naturally to them than others. I also think there is often pressure to advance your career, be ambitious etc and that overlooks the fact that some people are just better as work horses / people doing the doing rather than the leading, and are happier in that place. I'm one of those people I think. I'm academic and hard-working and full of ideas and confident in meetings and therefore have always been pushed towards leadership but I'm actually crap at it, and find it incredibly stressful, and I wish I found it easier to just accept that and embrace my level!

That said... I'd also argue that a lot of people have the capacity to grow new skills and shouldn't have their leadership potential written off just because they don't thrive at first. Leadership also has so many different aspects to it, and I think most people are a lot better at some of those aspects than others. I don't think I've ever met someone I consider the perfect leader, and I've worked under a fair few.

YANBU, but I actually think a lot of leadership roles are filled by people who are poor leaders. In my experience the people who I actually think would be the best leaders don't actually want or aspire to have the responsibility. Instead it is typically power hungry, bullshitters with overinflated egis who go for the posts and usually get them.

Bottom level Management, fine, bottom level leadership fine, the Management above, utter shit show. Over promoted as useless at the base jobs ime.

A good leader recognises the strengths and weaknesses of their team and deploys them accordingly. Bosses just want the right result, by any means.