The last four weeks I have been managing a team of five – 2 Mozambicans, an Indian, and a Pom. Boy, it’s been really, really tough.
It’s funny when you become the manager – you start to see all the little tricks that you tried to pull on your manager; and how easily you can see through them. You also feel the frustration of having to cover for your team when their work doesn’t make the grade; and the feeling of wanting to throttle your team when they miss deadlines (and you have to chase them up about it … ugh!).
I always thought I was good at delegating: always someone who knew that investing time upfront in training someone to do something was a good investment. But I never realized how hard it is to delegate complex tasks – particularly with multiple components of research, analysis, and reporting – particularly when the team’s expectations are different to yours – and how much easier it is to just “do it yourself” rather than go through the hassle …
On a brighter note, I must say, I am really, really thankful for the opportunity to manage a team – and in Africa, too! I have learned much about myself as a leader – the balance of trying to be myself, but also a good and responsible manager; the difficulty of knowing when to compromise, and when to put my foot down. And to think, I’m getting paid for this! =)
Powerpoint … it always saves the day. Well, for consultants, anyway.
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