First Time Manager Reflective Report

Before I started this course I was unsure if I was management material. After I started reading The First Time Manager, I became sure that I would not make a good manager. I felt this way because, as I discovered managers have to be able to lead. I tend to sit back and let someone else have control when it comes to things such as group projects. I feel this is because I am not usually comfortable being in charge of other people, because I do not want to be perceived as bossy. I tend to want everyone to be happy and to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary. However as I have discovered management skills can be taught, its people skills that are more difficult to learn if one does have them already. I have also learned that being the manager is about more than being “the boss.” Being a manager is more about being part of a team. The manager may be in charge of the team but their job is to figure out the individual needs of each team member, so that they can help each member perform to their full potential. As every individual is different it makes sense that you cannot necessarily manage you employees in the same way, and some will need more attention than others. …show more content…
A manager must know that a team avoiding conflict is not a positive thing. As seen in The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team story, when team members are not willing to discuss conflicting views, decisions often are not made. An example from the story being that the team had not made a decision about outsourcing IT, because they did not want to upset other people in the group. The end result of this kind of behaviour not only causes an organization to suffer, but often leaves everyone