Julie Long, a senior developer at a software company, was identified by her manager as a high performer. When she was asked to coordinate a team of three junior developers on a project, Julie was excited about the opportunity to finally move into a management role. However she quickly became frustrated. Things that were simple and easy for her were not getting done in a timely way by her team. After just a few weeks in her new role, as she reviewed the code her team members had written, she found herself seriously considering scrapping their contributions and writing it all herself. She knew that if she worked a few extra hours, she could likely match the output of all three of her direct reports.
Sound familiar? Then you need to read the rest of this excellent HBR article. It is too the point, practical, and insightful. I’ve found the tips in this article to be key skills for managing others. Without these skills you will struggle as a manager, grow depressed and likely quit. So read on!