Ellen Van Oosten, a professor at the Weatherhead School of Management and co-author of "Helping People Change," shares her insights for aspiring managers. She provides practical advice for those hesitant to accept managerial roles and strategies for navigating workplace barriers, including supervisor resistance. Van Oosten emphasizes the importance of self-assessment, communication, and networking, especially for individuals facing career transitions later in life. Listeners will find actionable tips for developing leadership skills and leveraging their unique experiences.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Negotiate and Explore Options
Explore options beyond simply accepting or refusing a management role.
Consider negotiating a limited tenure, splitting responsibilities, or finding ways to align the role with your strengths.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Decline Respectfully
When declining a request, provide a well-reasoned argument.
Explain your decision respectfully, citing specific commitments or priorities.
insights INSIGHT
Impact of Declining
Consider the impact of declining a leadership role on your department's standing.
Departments without leaders can become marginalized within the larger organization.
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Dr. Richard Boyatzis's "Helping People Change" delves into the neuroscience of personal transformation. The book explores the interplay between the analytic and empathic neural networks in the brain, highlighting how these networks influence our behavior and decision-making. Boyatzis emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and empathy in fostering positive change, both individually and within organizations. His research, supported by fMRI studies, demonstrates the effectiveness of shifting from an analytic to an empathic mindset for promoting personal growth and effective leadership. The book offers practical strategies for leaders and individuals to cultivate self-awareness and enhance their ability to influence and inspire others.
Are you ready to be a manager?
In this episode, Ellen Van Oosten answers questions from listeners who are struggling to move into management. She offers advice for what to do when you’ve been tapped for a managerial role, but you don’t want the job. She also discusses how to respond if your supervisor is blocking you from earning a promotion into management, and how you can make the move to manager even if you only have informal management experience.
Key episode topics include: leadership, careers, career transitions, managing people,
coaching, growth.
HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.
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