Are you sure you want to be a manager?

Management has a substantial effect on organizational outcome and is critical for the organization in terms of obtaining long-term goals. Therefore, the selection of successful managers is crucial to attaining organizational objectives. However, a staff technologist who functions very successfully in his or her present role may not have the characteristics needed for successful management. Unfortunately, success in one's current, nonsupervisory position is usually the very attribute that is considered when a management position is offered. Because of this, there are many who fail miserably in the management role. These managers are ill-suited for the duties they must perform, unhappy in the position, disliked and seen as ineffectual by their subordinates and colleagues. It is essential that any individual who is offered a management position critically evaluate his or her abilities and personality before accepting the offer. For a candidate who is unsure of his or her abilities, tests are available that can assist in measuring attributes such as leadership behavior, power management, power orientation, conflict management, perceptions of organizational climate and the individual's "organizational fit" with the organization offering the position. These instruments should be used with caution because their reliability and validity in predicting management success depend on a wide variety of factors. Ultimately, it is the prospective manager's personal judgment that must be the final determinant of whether a management position is the best choice.