The “Do You Want to Manage People?” Checklist

Consider this: A leader in your company has come to you and asked if you are interested in a position that just opened.

The job is a nice pay raise, a title that shows an increase in responsibility, and you’ll lead three other people. You are young, eager, and living in a studio apartment and eating noodles three nights a week. So, you are tempted to jump at the opportunity.

As you are thinking of how to spend that new money, the leader asks you, “do you feel up to the challenge of leading other people?”

Before you answer that question, consider the following list. Can you answer “yes” or “some of the time” to all or most of these questions? If so, prepare to upgrade your diet. If not, reflect on whether the money will be worth the potential outcomes of failing other humans who are your new responsibility.

• I’m excited to learn how to meet goals and get work done through other people.

• I can be attentive and present in conversations even when I don’t feel like it or want to be.

• I am ready and able to put the needs of others ahead of my own.

• Accepting blame for a failed project, even if I did not make the fatal error, is acceptable to me given my role.

• Giving others credit for work I made significant contributions to is okay with me to support the team.

• Helping people meet their career and life goals and expecting nothing in return sounds fulfilling.

• I understand that I must carry out directives from leadership that I objected to during the decision process, without complaints, gossip, or sarcasm when I share with others.

• I believe the organizational mission is more important than my feelings or any one person or problem on my team.

• I can hold space for a colleague when they are angry, crying, sad, lonely, or tired without meeting their level of emotional response.

• Being aware of my own emotions and feelings and effectively regulating them is something I do and do well on a regular basis.

• I am willing to quickly confront issues that impact the team or organization whether it be someone’s personal hygiene, missed goals, or an ethical issue.

• I see feedback from others as a gift or at least productive data that I can use to improve.

• I understand that the team I must be committed to is likely different from the team of people I lead.

• Thanking and recognizing others’ work openly and regularly is worth my time.

• Complete paperwork is not a waste of time and is necessary for other colleagues to do their jobs.

• I understand that how I behave will infect and affect those I lead.

Everything is about people. Leaders must understand and embrace that leading others is a conscious choice, not a happy accident that came with a raise and title upgrade.