Where is your comfort level, Narrow Scope or a Wide Responsibility? Many years ago (when I was a trainer with Lincoln National Life in Fort Lauderdale) I had occasion to spend some time with a few HR people from the Fort Wayne Corporate Headquarters. They were reviewing training programs and techniques at the agency level; and were also there to install some new recruiting evaluation tools. One of the fellows (a clinician in the Psych field) was very high on an analysis profile to select those candidates that were optimally suited for unit management, rather than sales. A good portion of the new plan was to identify those individuals that were more comfortable with a very wide range of responsibility (as opposed to those that tended to enjoy being in a narrow arena of activities, but at a more intense depth). The premise was certain individuals become bored with narrow scope. They enjoy a much wider range (albeit less intense or hands on). These folks that liked the idea of running from one brush fire to the next were more suited for the sales manager positions that were so crucial to the companys production. The salespersons that succeeded in a big way had evidenced that they preferred the order of their own daily routines; and the problems and challenges of their colleagues were not of interest to them. Both types of employees were key. However they were very different. The old manner of selecting sales managers was a simple one (worked out horribly way too often), the company simply promoted the top producers to management... The results of this action over a few decades was clear. The company in doing so would have so/so management at best at the field level; and was robbing themselves of their top producing individuals! You can succeed in either manner (narrow or wide scope); but it is likely you are comfortable in one or the other. The best surgeons operate; they perform intensely and their skill level is quite deep. But their scope is narrowed to the actual surgery. The best managers must be able to handle ten or more issues at the same time. They must not feel out of control in doing so; they need to be able to shift gears seamlessly. Do you enjoy detail work (painting, model making, things that reside in one area, but require intensity within it)? Stay within the narrow scope. Do you lose interest in a repetitive action? Find you are able to handle many balls in the air at the same time? A wider scope will provide you comfort. It is amazing how important this concept is towards a persons level of success...
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 14:30:29 +0000
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