What If You Don't Want To Be A Manager?

Promotions into management roles are typically seen as a natural desired outcome of working hard and moving up in your career. But just because you’re good at something doesn’t necessarily mean you’re keen to manage other people who do it.

If you’re offered a management position you’re not excited about, explore these ways to respectfully decline.

If you want to stay with your organization

If you like where you work, consider these angles for staying with your organization in a capacity you like.

• Be honest with your boss. When you're given the news, don't just say no right away. Thank your manager for offering you the opportunity and ask for time to consider the role. Privately, you'll be weighing the pros and cons of rejecting the management role. Then, when you're ready to go back to your boss with an answer, communicate that you're flattered to have been considered but don't think you're the best person for the role. To explain this latter point, lean on your personal career goals that don't have to do with managing others, and explain the work you plan to continue growing at your organization.
• Pitch a different type of promotion. You’ve probably been tapped for a promotion to management because your employer sees qualities in you that all good managers possess: you’re motivated, organized, empathetic, and so on. But those qualities can be put to good use in many types of higher-level jobs! Consider asking your manager if you could become the “senior” version of your title instead—a person who might take on more strategic thinking or lead more complex projects in your department, but who isn’t responsible for dealing with other employees’ annual reviews or the team’s budget. Remember that, if you were offered a promotion, you know your boss wants to retain you, so use that leverage and explain that an arrangement like this will add value to the organization without taking the risk that you’ll be unhappy.

Whatever you decide to say, offer to help your boss identify someone else who would be good for the job (whether internally or by helping with hiring from outside). It’s a nice gesture, and will show you care about the future of the organization.

If you're ready to strike out on your own

Maybe the ego boost of being offered a management position has gotten you thinking that you have what it takes to quit your day job and start full-time freelancing, consulting, or moving to a different organization.

Before making the jump, consider your finances and whether you're truly ready to make a change. If you need some time to look for another job or gain freelance clients, it'd be smart to ask your manager for additional time to consider the management offer. That way, you buy yourself more time to think about next steps without putting your current employer in a bind.

Your next steps

There’s a lot to think about when you’re faced with deciding whether or not to accept a promotion to management. There are plenty of resources out there for people who want to become good managers, but not so many for those who decide to take another road.

As you decide what's best for you, your family, and your career, remember that we at Idealist Career Advice are always here to help!