aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager

There is a class of management….equivalent, say, to 2nd and 1st lieutenants. They have no real management authority. They often cannot even recommend. They are almost always promoted from the ranks. If not, that is their genealogy. They receive no management training… Or, if they do, it has little or nothing to do with their jobs. I say this is so for most managers…and so I call this class of management ‘most-management’.

There is an underlying fabric of agreements (for example, I work a full week; you pay me money..) These can be generic (as receiving pay) or may be personal…[Say, boss..I’m going to work late tonight and tomorrow and take Friday afternoon off…Okay with you? (This is also a request)].

There are an extraordinary number of unclear agreements between them and both their bosses and their people… Agreements that only one of you think exist. For example: what constitutes a good job: what qualifies for promotions or level of raises…When you can refuse to work late or refuse a request.. Who you’re allowed to communicate with and how…. What to wear…

Most-managers want to know what works as a manager too. When they don’t know something they are afraid to ask their boss and embarrassed to ask their peers. But they don’t know what they’re allowed to do or not do. They are powerless managers, ignorant of the scope of their authority – even if they have some.

Nobody ever told them what they were allowed to do and not do. The aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager.

…and so I call this class of management ‘most-management’.

There is an underlying fabric of agreements (for example, I work a full week; you pay me money..) These can be generic (as receiving pay) or may be personal…[Say, boss..I’m going to work late tonight and tomorrow and take Friday afternoon off…Okay with you? (This is also a request)].

There are an extraordinary number of unclear agreements between them and both their bosses and their people… Agreements that only one of you think exist. For example: what constitutes a good job: what qualifies for promotions or level of raises…When you can refuse to work late or refuse a request.. Who you’re allowed to communicate with and how…. What to wear…

Most-managers want to know what works as a manager too. When they don’t know something they are afraid to ask their boss and embarrassed to ask their peers. But they don’t know what they’re allowed to do or not do. They are powerless managers, ignorant of the scope of their authority – even if they have some.

Nobody ever told them what they were allowed to do and not do. The aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager

xtraordinary number of unclear agreements between them and both their bosses and their people… Agreements that only one of you think exist. For example: what constitutes a good job: what qualifies for promotions or level of raises…When you can refuse to work late or refuse a request.. Who you’re allowed to communicate with and how…. What to wear…

Most-managers want to know what works as a manager too. When they don’t know something they are afraid to ask their boss and embarrassed to ask their peers. But they don’t know what they’re allowed to do or not do. They are powerless managers, ignorant of the scope of their authority – even if they have some.

Nobody ever told them what they were allowed to do and not do. The aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager

nt to know what works as a manager too. When they don’t know something they are afraid to ask their boss and embarrassed to ask their peers. But they don’t know what they’re allowed to do or not do. They are powerless managers, ignorant of the scope of their authority – even if they have some.

Nobody ever told them what they were allowed to do and not do. The aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager

aggressive ones find out by overstepping their bounds and getting their wrists slapped (‘..easier to get forgiveness than permission’). The others stay hunkered down.

They do know that they have a lot of responsibility and accountability – for the first time. Even having had the job for a while is no indication that they’ve learned anything about being a manager. But the people reporting to them treat them as managers. Since they had frequently been peers, this adds an additional awkwardness to their job.

So – how do they learn?