The best managers are boring managers. (2015)

“…it is time for organizations to understand that their best potential managers are not the people who stand out, self-promote, take credit for others’ achievements, or have mastered the politics of upward career management

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Hogan Assessment Systems CEO; Professor of Business Psychology, University College London; faculty member Columbia University
Harvard Business Review 28 Sept 2015

“First, let me explain what I mean by “boring.” In psychology, the technical – and less socially loaded – term is emotional maturity.

“…effective managers tend to be highly adjusted, sociable, friendly, flexible, and prudent. They are, in fact, the reverse of the famous self-made billionaires and tycoon entrepreneurs we often use as examples of great leaders…..

“Second, as you transition from individual contributor to manager, you shift your focus from solving technical problems to solving people problems….

“Third, what people value most in a manager is integrity, which is best conceptualized as an attribution and assessed via others rather than self-ratings….

“In brief, it is time for organizations to understand that their best potential managers are not the people who stand out; they are not the people who self-promote and take credit for others’ achievements, or have mastered the art of politics and upward career management. They may lack charisma and have no remarkable vision for the future, yet they are probably the best people to help execute the company vision and ensure that staff stays engaged and productive.”

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