AIBU to say being a manager isn't all it's cracked up to be?

[manageyourexpectations]

Hi all
Posting for views from other people who have worked at managerial/senior level and may wish to share their thoughts or offer experience of stepping back.

I'll try and be brief with my scenario so it isn't too unwieldy! I am in my early 30s and despite not going to university I have worked my way up the career ladder in my sector quickly and am now working for a great company in a senior role.

The role itself is fine, but line managing staff is just becoming so tiresome. After 10 years of managing staff, dealing with all their problems and feeling responsible for their behaviour I feel like I really want to step back into a role where I don't have line management responsibility and go into something where I am responsible for my work only. I'm sick of coming home stressed and burnt out because of some kind of staff drama.

That said, I've been in a management position in some form or another for 10 years now and I'm not sure how I'd find the transition in reality.

Has anyone had any experience of stepping back in their role, and aside from the financial hit... what was the impact to you from this?

Thanks in advance

I couldn't agree more, managing staff really isn't worth the extra money!

Yes, I have experience of that.

It gets a bit better the higher you go in the sense that (usually!) managing middle and senior managers is less labour intensive than managing junior staff, but it's still there. So if you don't enjoy it, it's tough.

I left it behind by going into consultancy.

I agree. I wasn't a senior level manager but the constant dramas and being stuck trying to please my team and my managers was awful. It affected my marriage and the time with my children so I took a demotion and a pay cut to get away from it.

It worked out okay; I was able to move into another position in the same company and ended up on more money, in a more interesting role and with no staff management responsibilities. No regrets.

DH hates it tbh, but he does like the money...

I hate it too. I'm now actively looking for a sideways move that doesn't involve managing staff. I previously stepped down from middle management for a year and I enjoyed it.

I am new to management and only manage two people, one of whom is great but the other just needs sooo much chivvying to do basic tasks. I don't think I have the inclination to climb the ladder further and manage a whole team.

I love it

Gets easier the further up you go!

I don't have experience of stepping back again but I have seen lots of people do it. That ten year mark is definitely the point at which many people do. I think it actually future proofs people if they keep the ability to do the day job as it were.

The people who do it best commit completely to their new role and let the next person manage as they think fit.

I have director level staff reporting to me and they have junior staff reporting to them but in reality I feel like I need to be aware of what is going on with everyone.

I miss being hands on but we really need the money with one in uni and the other starting this fall, so it is what it is.

I couldn't agree more. I hated management and am very glad I am not doing it any more. It was like having a whole other set of children that you couldn't tell off. And you have to be on your best behaviour at all times. Exhausting and annoying!

Yes my dh works for a large utility company and stepped back as a manager as he can earn more now from over time and less demanding

I loved it until I got a particularly bad batch; it was like having 6 extra children. It broke me and my confidence has never recovered. Never again.

Totally agree. It can be so draining. I left a management role for freelancing and I felt a massive weight lifted.
I honestly think people who like management just want the kudos and artificial respect.

The problem is that many, many managers are promoted for doing their substantive roles really well, but are basically left to learn how to manage people alone. This is a very difficult thing to do for most people.

Companies really need to empower their new managers with a good grounding in policies and specific training on managing people and how to follow the processes.

It wasn't for me. I grew tired of getting flack from both above and below. There were some rewarding moments, yes, but a great deal of defending people who then stabbed me in the back at the first opportunity they had. Also, pussy-footing around piss-takers of varying descriptions was wearing.

All my attention seemed to get used up on those who least deserved it, and I felt as though I was letting down the hard-working, non-attention-seeking types. I don't think I'm assertive enough to be a successful manager. I was glad to take the opportunity of a sideways move that didn't involve people-management.

Its fine with a decent team and support from the level above you, a difficult team and no support is hell. Even with a well behaved team managing can still be like trying to herd cats, you need to want to do it or its soul destroying.

I agree. I hate that to progress in your profession you have to take on managerial responsibilities as well. I would say dealing with HR issues takes up more time than my professional role at this point, and I do enjoy training, sorting issues and supporting staff (it helps that my team are amazing); but eurgh. I would rather just be moving up responsibility and workload wise in relation to my skillset.

I hated managing less senior people until... I started managing senior people. They were a breeze, they understood when they needed to involve me, and also when they didnt. It was an absolute pleasure to manage those people.

I would say to op, tough it out, it will get better

I think it depends on your team and your own boss/es.
I have a great team of 26 staff and 2 lovely directors.
I delegate and I won't have bitchiness, gossip and innuendo.
Those who do want that are shown to the door quick sharp.
I try to be firm but fair, even if I do feel like I'm banging my head on a brick wall at times.
I respect and value my staff and I hope they feel the same towards me.

It very much depends on which lucky people you get to manage.

Can you move to manage more senior people? Sounds link a company problem, not a role problem.

It's horses for courses isn't it.

My natural next role is managerial and I keep
being asked to apply for positions but I'd rather stick forks in my eyes - I'd rather not have the (small) pay increase and stay responsible for purely my own shit!

However my line manager thrives on having a team - she's bloody awesome at line managing too. She's said it's her team that get her up in the morning (and she has a real mix of performance levels in her team).

yes, have done this. I am a nurse and found management really distracted me from clinical practice.
Managing people is a thankless task, I am good at it, but much prefer just getting on with clinical practice.
I can honestly say that I do not miss it at all.

I love it, for the most part, but my team is awesome and the management above me gives me a lot of freedom. I think if I had more constraints on how I was allowed to manage my team for example, I allow them to work from home on occasion where other managers do not it would be altogether less pleasant.

I do get very anxious when being called to account for company performance, and occasionally have to stand in the line of fire, but I do think that is the responsibility I accepted and it's not so bad that I would pack in being a manager.

I suppose it depends on whether you plan on landing where you are now or the experience you're getting will lead you to a better position, or even if that's what you want. I have the goal of becoming a company director within the next five years so I can put up with a lot in pursuit of that. Do you have similar goals? It might be worth making sure you have alternate ways to pursue them before deciding management isn't worth it.