I work for a great company and love my job, but over the last 3-4 months I feel like I'm being forced into a leadership role which I do not want. I have been a Staff Engineer at an automotive manufacturer for about the last 2 years. Before that I was a project engineer, and before that a manufacturing engineer (all at the same company). I've had great managers who have not only been excellent leaders, but they have recognized my hard work and promoted me throughout the years; and for that I'm grateful.
About 3-4 months ago, one of our managers was promoted, which led to me being appointed as the 'interim' engineering manager. I'm fine with filling in temporarily, but becoming a manager has never been part the career path which I had planned for myself. It's far too political for me, and although I feel like I can relate to people and lead people very well (although not as good as the former engineering manager), it's just not where my passions lie - I'm much more interested in the technical side of engineering. My current (or maybe former role) as the Staff Engineer was to lead the (much smaller) projects team, and also to help out the production engineers when needed - and I feel like it is a role that fit my passions and personality very well.
Since being appointed as the 'interim' engineering manager, it's pretty much been implied that the role is mine permanently if I want it... but in my heart I just don't. The biggest drawbacks for me are:
1. You can't ever truly walk away from work... ever. The exception to this is when you are on vacation. But other than that, when you go home your phone is with you at all times, and for the most part you're expected to answer it.
2. If a major piece of production equipment is down, it pretty much dominates your life until it is back up and running again.
3. You are now responsible for the entire engineering team... including all of their successes, and all of their failures. I'm a very independent person. I'm more than willing to help others, but that's it... I help them or give my advice, then walk away and what they do with it after that is their choice, and (for the most part) of no consequence to me.
4. I'm a pretty hands-on / 'go out and just do it' person... and management roles just aren't like that. You delegate to people and politic in meetings, and that's it. Which leads me to my 5th point...
5. I (for the most part) hate meetings! I think they are definitely essential, but so many people within my organization come to them unprepared or use them to talk about things that just don't matter, that the majority of them end up being a waste of time. Yes I schedule meetings when I think they are essential; but in my old role, they are a very small part of my day. Managers live in meetings, and I can't stand it.
So there's a bunch of negatives for me.... and the only positives are:
1. Higher salary. (I don't know how much higher, but I have a rough idea). A higher salary would provide (perhaps) a better future for my family - but personally I think that the stresses associated with the manager role outweigh that benefit. And if I want more money in my current position, there is voluntary overtime available on weekends. As a manager, I would no longer be eligible for OT.
2. More control over my own destiny (maybe). If I pass up the manager role and end up with a manager who delegates everything to me anyway, I'm stuck with (at least some of) the responsibilities of a manager, but with none of the monetary benefits.
But those aren't even the biggest negatives. Today, after 3-4 months of pondering this decision, my manager came to me and told me that due to cost cutting measures, the headcount of our department must stay the same. Since I am (by management's perception, it sounds like) the only person within the department who is qualified to be the next engineering manager, I can get promoted into that position, our headcount will then stay the same, and everyone in the department will keep their position / job. If I turn down the position, they will then have to hire a manager from outside the department (or perhaps outside the company), that will increase the headcount of our department by 1, which will require us to let someone go (or best case, maybe we can move them to another department). What?!
So basically, either I take the management position that I don't want, or someone could lose their job. What kind of a decision is that? I've prayed about this for months, asking God to make it clear what His will is for me. Despite all the prayers, I still don't have a firm conviction. In the absence of all other external factors (salary, pressure / perceived pressure from upper management, fear of retribution if I don't take the position), I would choose to not take the promotion, and to stay the Staff Engineer. But, after learning that someone else could loose their job if I don't take the position, my thoughts were "Ok... maybe this is God's way of saying I really need to do this, and it won't be as bad as I think it will. Or even if it is that bad, this is God's will for me, and there will be other benefits (for my family, co-workers and whatnot) that make it worth it in the long run."
So where is God in this decision? Maybe someone else can offer some advice or perspective that I am not seeing?
Thanks,
Mark
About 3-4 months ago, one of our managers was promoted, which led to me being appointed as the 'interim' engineering manager. I'm fine with filling in temporarily, but becoming a manager has never been part the career path which I had planned for myself. It's far too political for me, and although I feel like I can relate to people and lead people very well (although not as good as the former engineering manager), it's just not where my passions lie - I'm much more interested in the technical side of engineering. My current (or maybe former role) as the Staff Engineer was to lead the (much smaller) projects team, and also to help out the production engineers when needed - and I feel like it is a role that fit my passions and personality very well.
Since being appointed as the 'interim' engineering manager, it's pretty much been implied that the role is mine permanently if I want it... but in my heart I just don't. The biggest drawbacks for me are:
1. You can't ever truly walk away from work... ever. The exception to this is when you are on vacation. But other than that, when you go home your phone is with you at all times, and for the most part you're expected to answer it.
2. If a major piece of production equipment is down, it pretty much dominates your life until it is back up and running again.
3. You are now responsible for the entire engineering team... including all of their successes, and all of their failures. I'm a very independent person. I'm more than willing to help others, but that's it... I help them or give my advice, then walk away and what they do with it after that is their choice, and (for the most part) of no consequence to me.
4. I'm a pretty hands-on / 'go out and just do it' person... and management roles just aren't like that. You delegate to people and politic in meetings, and that's it. Which leads me to my 5th point...
5. I (for the most part) hate meetings! I think they are definitely essential, but so many people within my organization come to them unprepared or use them to talk about things that just don't matter, that the majority of them end up being a waste of time. Yes I schedule meetings when I think they are essential; but in my old role, they are a very small part of my day. Managers live in meetings, and I can't stand it.
So there's a bunch of negatives for me.... and the only positives are:
1. Higher salary. (I don't know how much higher, but I have a rough idea). A higher salary would provide (perhaps) a better future for my family - but personally I think that the stresses associated with the manager role outweigh that benefit. And if I want more money in my current position, there is voluntary overtime available on weekends. As a manager, I would no longer be eligible for OT.
2. More control over my own destiny (maybe). If I pass up the manager role and end up with a manager who delegates everything to me anyway, I'm stuck with (at least some of) the responsibilities of a manager, but with none of the monetary benefits.
But those aren't even the biggest negatives. Today, after 3-4 months of pondering this decision, my manager came to me and told me that due to cost cutting measures, the headcount of our department must stay the same. Since I am (by management's perception, it sounds like) the only person within the department who is qualified to be the next engineering manager, I can get promoted into that position, our headcount will then stay the same, and everyone in the department will keep their position / job. If I turn down the position, they will then have to hire a manager from outside the department (or perhaps outside the company), that will increase the headcount of our department by 1, which will require us to let someone go (or best case, maybe we can move them to another department). What?!
So basically, either I take the management position that I don't want, or someone could lose their job. What kind of a decision is that? I've prayed about this for months, asking God to make it clear what His will is for me. Despite all the prayers, I still don't have a firm conviction. In the absence of all other external factors (salary, pressure / perceived pressure from upper management, fear of retribution if I don't take the position), I would choose to not take the promotion, and to stay the Staff Engineer. But, after learning that someone else could loose their job if I don't take the position, my thoughts were "Ok... maybe this is God's way of saying I really need to do this, and it won't be as bad as I think it will. Or even if it is that bad, this is God's will for me, and there will be other benefits (for my family, co-workers and whatnot) that make it worth it in the long run."
So where is God in this decision? Maybe someone else can offer some advice or perspective that I am not seeing?
Thanks,
Mark
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