Chapter 2: Understanding the Job
The lessons in this chapter outline how to assess various aspects of the managerial role you’re considering. These lessons will provide you with questions and topics to explore, which you can ask/discuss during your interview with your prospective boss or the HR department you’re engaging with.. By the end, you’ll be able to gauge your readiness for the position and identify any areas for development. Even if you’re already in a managerial role, this chapter provides valuable insights to deepen your understanding of your responsibilities. Note: references to “boss” in these chapters refers to your prospective manager if you do take the new role, or your current manager if you’ve already taken it and are performing due-diligence after the fact.
To evaluate the managerial position you’re interested in, start by gaining a clear understanding of the organization as a whole. This can be done even before an interview by asking questions through HR or directly to your potential boss.
Mission Statement: Request the company’s mission statement if you don’t already have it. There may be multiple mission statements—both company-wide and departmental—that relate to your role. Make sure you have all relevant ones, and if any are unclear, ask for clarification. Keep in mind that not all organizations or leaders prioritize developing mission statements.
Business Plans: Inquire about the organization’s short- and long-term business plans. You’re not looking for detailed documents, just a general sense of the company’s direction. You can ask politely, “Could you share any business plans that would help me better understand the role I’m interested in?” This question might be met with hesitation if the person you’re asking doesn’t have the information or needs time to prepare a summary. However, a good manager or HR representative will not be bothered by the question, they’ll see this as a sign of your professional maturity.
Culture: An organization’s culture and core values define its identity and shape the behaviors, attitudes, and decision-making processes of its employees. A strong culture is built on shared beliefs and practices that create a sense of community and purpose, fostering collaboration, innovation, and mutual respect. Core values serve as guiding principles that influence how the organization operates both internally and externally. Together, the culture and core values create a foundation for a positive work environment, driving employee engagement and alignment with the company’s mission and goals. For example, is the organization you’re joining known for:
Diversity and inclusion regardless of background.
Integrity and ethical business behavior.
Dedication to excellence and customer focus.
Employee well-being and work-life balance.
Environmental and social responsibility.
Innovation and collaboration.
If you’re unsure about the organization’s culture, you can ask your new boss or HR for insights. You may prioritize factors beyond career advancement, so it’s essential to ensure the organization’s values align with your own. Once you step into a management role, you’ll be expected to uphold the organization’s principles, even if they differ from your personal beliefs. If you notice any significant conflict between their values and your own, take it as a red-flag.
The goal of this lesson was to discover company-wide objectives through mission statements, business plans, and core values. Were you successful in this effort? Possible findings:
There was no mission statement.
There was resistance to providing a mission statement.
There was no business plan.
There was resistance to providing a business plan.
The culture conflicts with some of your own values.
Assessing the findings:
If there’s no mission statement, the company may be more focused on results than what they see as an academic exercise. While a mission statement is important to some organizations, others may not place as much emphasis on it.
Business plans are essential, and an organization lacking both vision and planning may have a maturity gap that’s challenging for a first-time manager.
Be cautious about joining a company that doesn’t align with your values. Don’t assume you’ll be able to drive cultural change in your first management role.
In the following downloadable survey you’ll summarize what you discovered during the assessment by placing a weight on each concern that was raised.
This exercise is to help you visualize the concerns, it can’t recommend a direction, one way or the other.