Reply to: Jumped up middle managers

[original PM]

As long as you are able to view a fiver increase in your bonus as more important than staff morale you will get along just fine.

[NotAllThere]

...
7) You agree to stupid things just because it enhances your bonus...

One senior manager need to save a million on his budget, so that he could meet his targets and get his bonus. So he changed the bonus system for his department, so that the expected amount was suddenly halved.

Unfortunately the bonus system was in place for staff retention. So all the good people started looking for, and getting, new jobs.

His bonus? £50,000. A couple of years later, with his departmental performance way down, he was unemployed.

[MPwannadecentincome]

I used to despise them as a contractor. Now I fear I am turning into one since going permie. So far the following characteristics have me worried:

1) I no longer do any 'real' hands-on work
2) I am a great delegator and often get the credit for my teams efforts
3) I spend a lot of time in pointless meetings
4) I am filled with my own sense of self importance (to be fair that was true during my contracting days)
5) I have managed to build myself a nice little empire

Am I middle-management scum? What other signs do I need to look out for?

The other signs to look out for are:

6) You change things just for the sake of change
7) You agree to stupid things just because it enhances your bonus

[NotAllThere]

I went into middle management for a while. Now I get my hands dirty regularly for considerably higher income, no politics, less stress and more holidays.

Middle management is fine if your boss is on your side. But woe betide you if he should leave and someone who you don't get on with ( or is tasked with reducing headcount) is suddenty managing you. Then you've no hard skills to fall back on, and middle managers are two-a-penny.

The best places to be are just before the management level, or senior management, where you can easily switch into another senior role.

[Sysman]

(6) Without any actual evidence, people start to assume you play golf

Thin end of the wedge that. Next they start to assume what your political views are and what kind of films/books/tv/holidays you like.

[cupidstunt]

(6) Without any actual evidence, people start to assume you play golf

This is actually true. I even get invited by rec agents these days

[HairyArsedBloke]

After a certain age a gentleman should not have to get his hands dirty.

I'm of the age when I 'get my hands dirty', in the professional sense, is when it all goes wrong. I need to pull my finger out and get to the stage when I can afford to get some 'help' in to do the actual work.

[sasguru]

Here's to 20 more years of 'coasting' and early retirement

Don't knock it.

[cupidstunt]

Join the club.
After a certain age a gentleman should not have to get his hands dirty.

Early thirties and feel I have arrived

Here's to 20 more years of 'coasting' and early retirement

[thunderlizard]

(6) Without any actual evidence, people start to assume you play golf

[sasguru]

I used to despise them as a contractor. Now I fear I am turning into one since going permie. So far the following characteristics have me worried:

1) I no longer do any 'real' hands-on work
2) I am a great delegator and often get the credit for my teams efforts
3) I spend a lot of time in pointless meetings
4) I am filled with my own sense of self importance (to be fair that was true during my contracting days)
5) I have managed to build myself a nice little empire

Am I middle-management scum? What other signs do I need to look out for?

Join the club.
After a certain age a gentleman should not have to get his hands dirty.

[chef]

face it, you aspire to be Alan Partridge or David Brent

[d000hg]

1) I no longer do any 'real' hands-on work
2) I am a great delegator and often get the credit for my teams efforts

1) doesn't make you bad, it's quite reasonable you simply don't have time to get your hands dirty anymore.

2)Sounds like a good thing (the delegation part); of course you get the credit from up-high, it's your responsibility to pass positive feedback down to the plebs and absorb negative feedback on yourself as much as possible.

[cupidstunt]

Yes.

HTH.

What makes it worse is that I feel quite content

[DaveB]

Am I middle-management scum?

Yes.

HTH.