Have you ever worked at a place where your boss or people who were bosses were complete idiots? If you answered no, then I hate to break this to you, then you are a boss. Because you are definitely an idiot. You may know your way around what the company does or the rules of the company, but that does not mean you are qualified to manage. Management and the idea of managing is not knowing more about the company's policies than anyone else, it means the ability to manage. You need to be able to deal with people in the business and social settings. Management isn't just giving orders and telling your employees that you know what you are doing because you have been with the company for X amount of years.
I have worked in places where upper managers will promote people based on years of service. Their theory is that if you have been with the company for 5 years, you must know what you are doing. But shouldn't you know what they are doing if you are their manager? Or if you did not know this, shouldn't you ask their immediate supervisor? That would make sense. But in the land of Corporate America, nothing really makes sense. When I worked for T. Rowe Price, one of my coworkers named Jo (think Jo from the Facts of Life, except the Jo from the Facts of Life had a sunnier personality), had been with the company for maybe 6 years. All of the other women in her department were supervisors but herself, but the brains of the company decided she had been with the company long enough and deserved a supervisory title. But Jo could not deal with other people. She would threaten people with bodily harm if you did not root for the Orioles baseball team. (nowadays that would be a laughable offense). But she had paid her dues and her bosses was her friend, so she was promoted.
The worst place that I ever worked in was a place in Orlando, FL called Price Management (official slogan: You'll Regret Taking This Job). We had a manager named Mike who had been with the company for about 5 years. And he did know a lot about the policies of the company. He just chose not to share them with anyone because if anyone knew more than he did, he may lose his job. Remember, quanity of work does not quality of work. This was a guy who had zero people skills and yet, he was the first people that new employees met because he was their trainer. Of course, he felt that rules did not apply to him. For example, new trainees needed to be at work by 12:45 pm. He of course, strolled in at 2:00 or so. How can someone oversleep when you have to be at work at 12:45? One rule was that bicycles were not allowed on campus, so naturally he rode a bike to work. Mike also looked like Andy Warhol's ugly son (if Andy Warhol had a son and if I thought Andy Warhol was handsome, which I do not).
I once worked for a company called USASTATS, which ran a Fantasy Baseball League. If you think that all fantasy baseball leaguers are geeks and need a life, you would be right. Jeez, I thought I didn't have a life. These people take the cake. Anyway, my boss, Tessa, had been there for a while and I had just started working. I asked her a question about the company and what to do and her response was, "When we want you to know something we will tell it to you." This is someone who can be a manager and a leader and I have had to take jobs cleaning toilets to put food on my kids table? I was definitely born under a bad sign.
What I am trying to get at here is that there are plenty of people in a company who are qualified to lead. Just because you have been with a company for a long time, you still have to earn the right to lead. And conversly, just because you have earned your right to lead, does not mean you get to lead. You still have to be qualified. Take a business class. Read a management or leadership book. Actually use those ideas in the book. Think outside of the box. Get in a box if necessary. Just remember, you are not God's gift to the company (If you are reading this Mike, this means you). You are replaceable (assuming your boss will replace you, which they usually do not, the weenies).
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