The 'Truly Necessary Skills' and 'Things You Must Not Do' I Realized After Quitting Management

Good morning, this is pon!
Having worked as a manager as a company employee and then having quit, I realized there are some 'truly important skills' and 'things you must not do'.

This article is for those who are aiming to become managers, and for those who are currently hitting a wall—
I hope it will be of some help to you.

Skills I felt were truly necessary after experiencing management

1. The ability to rely on others—The courage to 'not carry it all alone'

Once you become a manager, your workload increases all at once.
If you try to do everything yourself due to pressure from your boss, expectations from subordinates, and a sense of responsibility,
your capacity and mental state will quickly collapse.
**The 'ability to rely on' subordinates and superiors**was more important than anything else.
If you think, 'This is impossible,' consult your boss early.
Ho-Ren-So (reporting, communicating, and consulting) is truly more important than you think.
Work is something done as a team; it is okay not to carry it all alone.

2. Nurture your subordinates and trust them to 'delegate'

Do not neglect training, and do not skip feedback.
However,**'not interfering too much once you have delegated'**is just as important.
Micromanagement is counterproductive and lowers the motivation of subordinates.
Conversely, it robs them of learning opportunities, causing trouble for both you and your subordinates.
If they fail, it is fine to think about what to do next together.
If the subordinates you trusted and delegated to grow, they will become your strong allies.

3. Act proactively

Managers value 'people who act on their own' more than 'people who wait for instructions'.
When subordinates carry out work proactively, their bosses feel at ease and interfere less.
Surprisingly, the people around you are mostly those who 'only do what they are told'.
If you act proactively, you will also be evaluated.
An attitude of 'I went ahead and did this much on my own judgment!'leads to trust and evaluation.

4. Report task progress in detail

Bosses always want to know 'how far along things are'.
They are human too, and they get worried and anxious.
Just by reporting progress in detail, you will be interfered with less by your boss and will be more easily trusted as someone who can be relied upon.
Even just by being creative with the timing and frequency of your reports, the atmosphere of the team and your evaluation will change significantly.

5. Have an awareness of 'deadlines' and 'time'

Submitting things right at the deadline is absolutely a no-go.
No matter how high the quality of the deliverable, your boss will find something to complain about.
The key is to submit early and get feedback from your boss.
If you show a sense of speed, your motivation is also more likely to be evaluated.

6. Do not make overtime 'the norm'

If you rely on overtime, your rhythm will fall apart more and more.
Think of 'overtime as a last resort' and be conscious of a system where you usually finish on time.
Unreasonable overtime and unpaid overtime only exhausted both me and the team.

7. Being in a 'good mood' is also part of the job

When a boss is in a good mood, it becomes easier for subordinates to report things.
Facial expressions and attitudes are contagious. To raise the motivation of subordinates,
creating an atmosphere where they can be spoken to about small things is important.
People smile less than you think. (Let's look in the mirror!)
A refreshing smile that is almost 'too much' is just about right!

8. The amount of communication creates a 'sense of security'

By talking often on a regular basis, you can notice even small changes in your subordinates.
Since you can catch things they are struggling with early,
I made it a point to consciously create 'opportunities to talk'.
Getting too involved or being overly familiar is forbidden, but small talk skills are important.

Things I felt you 'must not do' after experiencing management

After actually working in management, I began to see points like 'this was a mistake' and 'doing this makes the workplace better'.

1. Do not become arrogant just because you are a manager

When you get a title, your attitude and words can become arrogant without you realizing it.
However, **management is ultimately just a 'role' or 'position'**, and it does not make you a superior person.
Do not forget to stay humble, and always be conscious that 'you are not doing the work alone'.

2. Seal away the posturing and jargon

It is easy to use words or industry terminology that subordinates don't know as if it were natural.
But instructions that aren't understood are meaningless.
You must avoid using words or systems that only managers know, and if you do use them, you need to be considerate enough to paraphrase or explain them in advance.

3. Do not force your own perspective and values onto subordinates

When you become a manager, you start to become conscious of costs, talent development, and overall optimization.
However, it is wrong to demand that same perspective and those same worries from your subordinates.
There are things that should be considered at each position. Putting the right person in the right place is important.

4. Do not deny what your subordinates say; listen until the end

Even if a subordinate's opinion or proposal is wrong, do not deny it immediately.
First, listen carefully until the end.
When pointing out mistakes, provide feedback on their 'way of thinking' or 'approach' rather than denying their efforts or abilities.
An atmosphere where people can talk with peace of mind strengthens the workplace and builds relationships of trust.

5. Seal away 'back in my day'

It is easy to talk about 'your own past stories' or 'tales of heroism', but
past stories that cannot be applied to the present only lower trust.
They also kill the motivation of subordinates.
It is important to stop the self-satisfaction and focus on what is right in front of you.

6. Understand that teaching is 'work'

'Watch and learn' or 'I'll only teach you once' are outdated.
That is not education; it is self-satisfaction on the part of the teacher or an abandonment of education.
The real job of a manager is to 'create a system and raise successors'.
By teaching as many times as needed and explaining until they understand, the strength of the entire workplace increases.

Summary

Management is often said to be 'lonely', but
I felt that it is actually a position where the 'ability to rely on everyone' is tested.

Can you avoid taking everything on yourself and give yourself permission to
'rely on others', 'delegate', and 'talk'?
Also, without forcing your own values, communicating clearly,
and listening to your subordinates to help them grow—
that accumulation is what leads to improved workplace performance.

If you have your own experiences or points you think were important, please let me know in the comments.
Let's share how to make management 'easier to live with' together!

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