jonathan@researchcomputingteams.org
This resource first appeared in issue #100 on 12 Nov 2021 and has tags Becoming A Manager: Other
Owning your power as a manager - Rachel Hands
One of the common mistakes I see in new research computing managers is an unwillingness to actually accept the fact that they now have a position of power. This is especially true when the new manager has been promoted to a manager of previous peers.
For a lot of people, suddenly having power is uncomfortable, and that’s ok (it’s way better than the other failure mode, of really relishing the newfound power), but you can’t just ignore it. “Ah but I’m still just the same person, you know?” Yes, you are, but now you can fire someone. And even if you choose not to see that power difference, those someones are exquisitely aware of it.
Hands outlines the role power that comes with being a manager, helpfully and correctly distinguishes it from the relationship power that comes with trust, and points out some specific real problems that come if you don’t acknowledge your power (my favourite: your power manifests in ways you didn’t intend) and what happens when you do.
