How good is your boss? If the person resembles the average boss — probably an OK boss. Neither awful or great. According to Kate and Dale, only one boss out of every 20 is what they consider “gifted.” Those with bosses new in management have to be patient as the boss has to practice to get better with management skills. A manager can have all the training background (management programs, internships, MBA, and so on), but almost nothing can help prepare for a management role better than doing the job. Catch-22. When you’re new, you’re not going to be good. But you’re not going to be good without practice.
My first job out of college was a one-year management training program with a government agency. The program included working in three different areas, classes, and field trips. Over the years, I read many books on management and business. I also participated in a two-year management program for a non-profit organization and took several graduate courses. In spite of all of this, I know I wouldn’t be a good manager until I actually do the job.
10 ways to train your boss to give you the support you need might help. You might want to check out the discussion the follows the article. Not crazy about the way the comments work in TechRepublic, but it’s worth overseeing the usability challenge to read the comments.
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The article you cited is great. I’d like to link to it from my newsletter, too–it resonates with the points made in a book chapter I wrote on “Mentoring Your Boss.”
Really enjoying your blog–