The Mock Turtle

Annual leave was what gave me a real, medication-needing headache yesterday.

When I worked at the bank, I deliberately restricted my career options to non-line manager roles. It meant I had to specialise instead, which is limiting in itself, but not having to be responsible for people and the things they believe are problems was worth more than any promotion.

You lot are vindicating me all over again

Good luck, Est.

I’m lucky in that I have a specialisation too. It’s just that I manage the team full of more junior specialists. This new role is within a central department assessing concept and investment reviews for projects within the whole of government which is pretty interesting and adjacent to my specialty just now.

Speciality, specialist, specialisation. Blah, blah, blah

I quite like managing people, just not 28 as I was doing until recently (now 16 so not exactly a small number but better than 28!)

At those numbers it's basically crowd control. Horrific. I like line management, but only if it's the main part of the job. It's impossible to squeeze it in alongside other duties and do it well.

Good luck, Est.

Ella77 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 9:44 am At those numbers it's basically crowd control. Horrific. I like line management, but only if it's the main part of the job. It's impossible to squeeze it in alongside other duties and do it well.

Totally agree, if it was all I had to concentrate on, it would be fine. Its all the other shite I have to do.

I'd just like a job where I do my own thing and occasionally email jobs I don't like to other people. I don't want fortnightly meetings or to be responsible for people's development etc and listen to all their gripes and problems.

I am not a fan of line managing people. In fact I took a step back from doing so a couple of years ago, and then we restructured and I now have to manage people again

Good luck Est!

Good luck, Est.

I don’t mind line managing people generally but one of my direct reports needs a lot of time. Endless project meetings, updates, priority reviews. Luckily, she’s excellent at her job but I need her to stop putting in hour long meetings for things that can be wrapped up quickly. She’s also a fan of the Friday afternoon meeting.

Edith Bacon wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 9:21 am not having to be responsible for people and the things they believe are problems was worth more than any promotion.

That might be one of the wisest things I’ve read on here. You’re bang on.

I mentioned on the last page about a job that I was going to apply for where the JD was ‘moon on a stick’. After 3 separate people independently of each other warned me not to apply- including the lady who’s acting up in the role- I did not and am absolutely fine with that decision.

Hazey_Jane wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 4:43 pm

Edith Bacon wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 9:21 am not having to be responsible for people and the things they believe are problems was worth more than any promotion.

That might be one of the wisest things I’ve read on here. You’re bang on.

I think to survive as a people manager, you have to develop a pretty thick skin. I like to think I'm pretty supportive but I absolutely don't take on other people's problems especially when I don't agree that they are problems. I often challenge back and I point out that said "problems" are the downside of a job that (in our case) has a lot of upsides eg good pay, good Ts and Cs. I'm sure my team love my regular reminders that all jobs have issues

I can absolutely understand that people choose not to do people management for that reason, but I don't think its as miserable as listening to people's problems all day. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing people develop - 4 of my current colleagues were direct reports of mine at some point.

I would love to have you as a manager, Sal.

Hazey_Jane wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 6:35 pm I would love to have you as a manager, Sal.

Aww thanks

I’ve got an interview for that role. It’s going to involve being given a case study which I then need to present to them and three questions. With 15 mins prep time. Interestingly another manager in my business unit mentioned today they’d applied for it as they thought they would be perfect and are waiting to hear back about their application, so looks like he hasn’t been shortlisted (the interview request came yesterday)

Ooh, good luck!

Thanks. I’m looking forward to it strangely. And it will be what it will be. It’s not until 8 Nov though.

I'm nearly at my 6 month mark in my secondment and so far I am loving it. Sure I have some days of endless calls which is painful but overall I am happy and more importantly getting lots of positive feedback.
Last night I had a very interesting call with my senior line manager and the option making my role permanent was mentioned. It's still very early days and it might not happen but I'm pleased the conversation had started.

Congrats, you must be really impressing them for them to be thinking about that. Hope it all works out.

Thats great news, Wiggle! Well done!

Nice one, Wiggle!