TENEBRIS LLC » 'Know-it-All' – the Biggest problem of young managers and business owners

When you finally become the manager you think that this is the start of your career. You are finally responsible for your own team and you can show everyone how good you are in managing it. The same goes to new business owners even if you do not have people under you, you are managing your company, that is your own work.

This is the time when you want to prove everyone how god you are and that there is nothing that you cannot do. In other words that you are a business 'superman/superwoman'. And this is where problems start.

'Know-it-All'

This is the biggest 'sin' that fresh managers and business owners commit. What does it mean in real world. The managers and business owners act like they new all aspects of business and the branch that they are in. They are acting not as freshmen but like old veterans that survived all possible disasters and have wisdom from those experiences.

I will tall you a secret, I did the same. At the start of my career I thought that university and the previous work experience that I had made me not an expert but quite skilled professional at least. I thought that I knew how to run things and how to manage problems. Well I was wrong. Apparently the experience that I gained as specialist was totally different then managerial type. When you take responsibility for a team all different factors are coming into the game. This on other hand force you to take different mind set about the business and activities that you do. It became even more complicated when I started my own business.

I will not lie I struggle with the responsibilities and activities as a business owner as you need to think in different categories. I realized that I need help in getting around everything so I decided to ask my previous employer if he would like to talk with me about business. This first step of acknowledging myself that I do not know something was difficult, but it was necessary.

The same thing I can see is happening with now new managers and business owners. They are graduating from universities with impression that they learn everything and that everything goes like textbook said. They do not take into consideration that more experienced employee (maybe even without a degree) can know better. And the most frightening thing is that they do not ask for help. They prefer to do something wrong then admit that they do not know something.

Admit that you do not know something and Ask for help

The managers and business owners have to recognize the need of admit that they are not experts in everything. Furthermore they have to ask for help in areas that they do not know or what better clarification.

It is good to talk with other managers and business owners and learn their perspective on different aspects of business. Business advisors are also good source of help as they advice many different companies and have condensed picture of the problem. Plus there are impartial party and guarantee confidentiality, so now one will know that you needed help.

Nonetheless the biggest and hardest step is to admit that you need help with something. I can guarantee that you will not loose your authority in eyes of your team members or employees. Instead you will gain more appreciation as you will show them that you want to be the best supervisor that they have and you want to do everything right. Also talk with your employees and team members if you have a problem. Being higher in 'command' chain means that you should listen to subordinates in order to make a firm decision. This is why you were promoted to manager or you started a business to make decisions based on all possible informations.

By doing this you will be able to grow your business and advance in your career. You will be able to invest company profits in business expansion rather then fixing the mistakes that your stubbornness caused.