Have you observed an increase in instances where managers decline promotions or choose to accept lower pay and titles to avoid team management responsibilities? I currently support a team of 50 employees, I've encountered four cases of this phenomenon in the team. Through discussions with peers in both the industry and government contact, I've found that others are facing challenges in attracting talent to embrace higher-level roles in technology management. I'd love to hear your perspective on this matter as well. Have you encountered similar trends?
End-User Services & Collaboration Engineering Applications & Platforms
Yes - I am seeing more opt for less personnel management responsibilities.45%
Nope - Members are eager to rise and stretch into wider responsibilities.48%
Maybe - Have not seen or seen this in my works.7%

91 PARTICIPANTS
589 views1 Upvote2 Comments

Question

Have you observed an increase in instances where managers decline promotions or choose to accept lower pay and titles to avoid team management responsibilities? I currently support a team of 50 employees, I've encountered four cases of this phenomenon in the team. Through discussions with peers in both the industry and government contact, I've found that others are facing challenges in attracting talent to embrace higher-level roles in technology management. I'd love to hear your perspective on this matter as well. Have you encountered similar trends?

End-User Services & Collaboration Engineering Applications & Platforms

Yes - I am seeing more opt for less personnel management responsibilities.45%

Nope - Members are eager to rise and stretch into wider responsibilities.48%

Maybe - Have not seen or seen this in my works.7%

91 PARTICIPANTS

589 views1 Upvote2 Comments

Answer

I've also seen this throughout my career, but I would agree that it's growing. I think people are just more cognizant of what they want than they have been in the past. Not everyone is "Hungry" and fewer are pretending to be these days. I see it as a good thing. This clarity allows me to look at my teams and make a much more accurate assessment about who is looking for development and advancement and who is doing a great job and happy in their current role. That helps me be a better leader by applying company resources and my time where it will do most.
That being said I also check in on a regular basis, especially with the higher performers, to see if anything has changed in their perspective or their situation. I've had a couple of people change their minds and become very successful and talented leaders.
As a leader one of the most satisfying parts of the role is creating more leaders, but to be successful it has to be about them and not you.

Answer

Indeed, I have seen many Managers who have decided to demote themselves, by looking for positions as a Sr. Engineer rather than staying as a Manager. When I have interviewed candidates who have done that, they have told me that the companies they were in decided to give them a pay raise, but to do that the salary bracket was of a Manager, so their Managers would tell them naively that they would become Managers ( Without assessing if they have soft skills to become Managers or not ).

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