Imagine that following a long job
search, you finally land your ideal position. You drive to work winding
through Nairobi traffic on your first day in the new post. Excitedly
hurling up the stairs, you arrive at your new office.
Following your human resources orientation that morning, you finally meet your new department manager.
Now
visualise the type of supervisor that you desire. Of course everyone
desires a high integrity boss who will keep his or her promises, not
embezzle, and not lie as well as one who holds high benevolence towards
you by keeping your best interests at heart, promoting you where
possible, and coaching you towards a better career.
However,
Sub-Saharan Africa differs greatly compared to the rest of the world on
another desirable salient leadership quality. On average, Africans
from Zambia to Uganda to Tanzania to Kenya all prefer managers with low
levels of ability. Our preferences in Africa stand in stark contrast to
the rest of the world where the plurality of workers strongly desire
highly competent bosses. Research released in 2016 by this author
hypothesised the reason for the average African preference originates
from a fear of receiving unattainable key performance indicators and
being watched over too keenly in jobs from highly skilled superiors.
However,
researchers passionately plead the case that we should actually desire
to work for competent high ability managers. Researchers Pearl Malhotra
and Manjari Singh looked into the career trajectories of employees with
both low and high performing managers. They uncovered a framework for
career success that depends on the ability of one’s supervisors.
In
the midst of the commotion surrounding selecting a new position, job
seekers should prioritise roles where the prospective manager possesses
both high performance qualities as well as networking abilities. In
such a scenario, then the employee should try to catalyse their exposure
by emulating the job performance competencies of their superiors and
leverage on their networks.
The subordinate then
enriches their own human capital capacity in their conscious brain with
decisions and actions, but also their subconscious brain through
exposure that leads to more accurate gut feeling reactions to corporate
occurrences. Additionally, employees augment their own social capital
through broader depth and breadth of network contacts.
The research shows that the subordinate’s improved
human and social capital then leads to a substantial boost in one’s
career prospects over time. Greater career forecasts lead to more
salary, flexibility, and job satisfaction over time that ultimately
leads to better satisfaction with one’s life.
Does the
above scenario work for all employees? No. If workers hold low
perceptions about their own capabilities, suffer from glum
self-efficacy, are too introverted to socially interact with new
contacts, or possess dismal self-esteem then they will fail to take
advantage of their highly competent bosses and positive chain reaction
of positive outcomes that could ensue.
So, assess
your own self-efficacy, extraversion, and self-esteem. If you feel
strongly that you possess all three, then actively run towards job
positions with high performing competent bosses. You and your family
will be glad you did.
Scott may be reached on scott@ScottProfessor.com or on Twitter: @ScottProfessor
No comments :
Post a Comment