新任经理的常见错误（上）

Adapted from the upcoming 'The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management' by Alan Murray, published by Harper Business.

本文节选自即将由Harper Business出版的The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management，作者是Alan Murray。

What are the common mistakes of new managers? Good management has been thoroughly¹ studied and is widely understood, but it is still more honored in its breach² than in its practice. Most new managers, in particular, get it wrong.

新任经理经常犯的错误是什么？人们对于什么是好的管理进行了彻底的研究，也有着普遍的了解，然而更多地却是违背它，而非付诸实践。大多数新任经理尤其会产生误解。

Harvard Business School Professor Linda Hill studies those who become managers for the first time, and writes perceptively³ about some of the common myths and misperceptions that lead to mistakes in their early days. Among them:

哈佛商学院(Harvard Business School)教授琳达•希尔(Linda Hill)对头一次当经理的人进行了研究，并富有洞见地写下了会导致人们在升职之初犯错的常见错误观念和误解。其中包括：

Myth 1: Managers wield⁴ significant authority.

错误观念1：经理拥有极大的权力。

New managers were often standouts in their previous jobs, and as such, enjoyed a fair degree of independence and autonomy of action. With a new job and title, they expect to feel more authority.

新擢升的经理通常在自己原先的岗位上都干得很出色，其本身行事就有相当大的独立性和自主权。有了新的职位和头衔之后，他们以为会享受更大的权力。

Well, surprise! Most new managers report they are shocked by how constrained⁵ they feel.

结果却出人意表。大多数新任经理报告说，他们对自己受到的限制震惊不已。

'They are enmeshed in a web of relationships,' writes Ms. Hill in a 2007 Harvard Business article called 'Becoming the Boss.' 'Not only with subordinates, but also with bosses, peers, and others inside and outside the organization, all of whom make relentless⁶ and often conflicting demands on them. The resulting daily routine is pressured, hectic⁷ and fragmented.'

希尔在2007年《哈佛商业评论》(Harvard Business)上发表题为《如何当老板》(Becoming the Boss)的文章，文中说，新任经理陷入了一个关系网，不光是跟下属的关系，还有跟老板、同级，以及公司内外的其他人的关系，这些人都会对新任经理提出严酷的要求，有时还会互相矛盾。结果造成日常工作压力很大、十分忙乱，而且没有章法。

She quotes one new leader saying: 'Becoming a manager is not about becoming a boss. It's about becoming a hostage.'

她引用了一位新任经理的说法：成为经理跟当老板不一样，当经理就好像成了人质。

Until new managers give up on the myth of authority, and recognize the need to negotiate their way through a web of interdependencies, they are likely to face frustration⁸ and failure.

新任经理只有抛开对权力的错误观念，认识到需要跟方方面面的人协商，否则就可能面临挫折和失败。

Myth 2: Authority flows from the manager's position.

错误观念2：权力来自经理这个位置。

New managers frequently think that what authority they have is conferred by their title. But in fact, writes Ms. Hill, 'new managers soon learn that when direct reports are told to do something, they don't necessarily respond. In fact, the more talented the subordinate, the less likely she is to simply follow orders.'

新任经理常常认为手中的权力是自己的头衔带来的。但实际上，希尔写道，新任经理很快就会发现，要求下属做事时，对方不一定会响应。事实上，下属越有才能，就越不太可能完全服从命令。

Over time, good managers find they must earn their subordinates' respect and trust in order to exercise significant authority. They need to demonstrate to subordinates their own character, their competence⁹, and their ability to get things done before those subordinates are likely to follow their lead.

随着时间的推移，好经理发现，为了行使重要的职权，就必须要赢得下属的尊敬和信任。他们需要向下属展示自己的品格、胜任工作的能力和解决问题的能力，这样下属才可能服从他们的领导。