The evolution of management

Reviewer: Anthony Joseph Duben

The title of this article does not accurately describe its content. It is not an anthropological or philosophical paper on the evolution of management. Rather, it describes what a person may encounter and need to do as he or she enters into a management role. It focuses on the lower levels of management. As the author points out, there are more than adequate resources on the roles of chief executive officer (CEO) and similar institutional job titles. There are several important lessons that those who aspire to management (or find themselves thrust into managerial roles) must master. Managers do not solve problems themselves. The recognition of success as a manager is different-potentially fewer accolades at a longer time frame delay. Day-to-day communication becomes increasingly important. The manager will be continually interacting with superiors and subordinates, and laterally with managers of comparable rank. Skills in dealing with people become increasingly important, and these must be learned. This paper provides a wealth of detail concerning the soft skill tasks and responsibilities of managers at different levels. The topics raised in this article are all correct and valuable for the novice and journeyman manager. However, there are so many other lessons that are not touched on, for example, personal costs. Going into management is a one-way street. Technical skills will become rusty and increasingly outdated. Even though compensation is much higher for managers (which is a principal attraction), there is little tolerance for failure. Managers can be replaced by people with greater people skills instead of technical prowess, since what they are doing is less and less technical as a person climbs the ladder. The political environment can become more and more perilous as well. The Dilbert comic strip resonates since it captures so much of reality. I believe that it is important for any manager to realize that management is an overhead activity. The job is to provide resources to the people who do the real work of the organization. It is a role of service, not mastery.