The Story of How My Life Improved After Quitting a 'Thankless' Management Job [Personal Experience]

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In a company, management is considered a position of 'advancement.'
But once I actually became one, I thought to myself.

There is one book that answered my questions.
Here it is.

📘 “The Management Job That Has Become a Penalty Game: How to Fix a Workplace Full of Bugs” (by Yuji Kobayashi)
(International Shinsho / Released February 2024)

Reading this book made me realize, 'Oh, the frustration I was feeling is something that can actually be put into words.'

• I became a manager, but every day is tough

• I got promoted, but honestly, I don't feel it's worth it

• I'm worried about whether I should continue or quit

This is content I really want such people to read.
Along with my own experience, I will introduce the parts that left an impression on me.

The 3 Major Problems Managers Face

In this book, the problems faced by modern managers are summarized as follows.

1. The workload is heavy and the burden is great

2. Wages don't increase as much as expected

3. Changing jobs becomes difficult

These three things were exactly what I experienced as a manager.1. The workload is just too much

1. The workload is just too much

Isn't the "heavy workload" the first wall everyone hits?

I also worked as a manager for four years, and just thinking about those days makes my stomach ache.

▷ Handling troubles and complaints

In addition to daily routine tasks, there was the firefighting of complaints and troubles.
As the "person in charge," managers naturally have to respond, even at night or on holidays.

Just when I thought one issue was finally resolved, it was time to formulate measures to prevent recurrence.
Furthermore, coordination with other departments was often necessary, and there was no end in sight.

Looking back now, I think I was too focused on the idea that "I have to handle everything myself."
I also have some regrets that I should have relied more on my superiors and subordinates.

▷ Subordinate management and evaluation

Managing subordinates is not easy either.
What I struggled with in particular was the presence of "older subordinates."
There were many cases where it was difficult to give instructions because they were former managers or had internal connections.

Furthermore, there were personnel evaluations and feedback.
Tailored responses were required for each individual, and before I knew it, half a day would be gone just doing that...

▷ The limits of a playing manager

If a subordinate's work wasn't getting done, I would step into the field to cover for them.
Before I knew it, I was at the brink of collapse every day with player + manager + miscellaneous tasks + overtime.

I really didn't have enough time.
It's only recently that I've realized the importance of trusting and delegating to subordinates.

2. The reality that "promotion does not equal a salary increase"

This was a shock, but just because you become a manager doesn't mean your salary will increase dramatically.

For example, the comparison of salaries between the bubble era and the present is as follows.

| Position | Showa (Bubble Era) | Present |
|------|------------------|------|
| Department Manager | Approx. 2.2x | Approx. 1.9x |
| Section Manager | Approx. 1.8x | Approx. 1.6x |
| Unit Chief | Approx. 1.5x | Approx. 1.3x |

*Compared to general employees

In fact, there are cases where becoming a manager leads to "no overtime pay" or "reduced allowances."

In reality, my unpaid overtime increased drastically as well.
There were even times when, if converted to an hourly wage, it was lower than when I was a player.

"I got promoted, but my salary didn't increase."
I'm sure many managers suffer from this gap.

3. Is being a manager actually a disadvantage for changing jobs?

“Wouldn't being a manager be an advantage when changing jobs?”
I used to believe that.

But what the job market demands is specialized expertise and reproducibility.

However, once you become a manager, you tend to step away from hands-on work, and your specialized expertise fades.
Even if you are a playing manager, what gets evaluated is 'reproducible results'.

In fact, at the job change information sessions I attended, these three things were what I felt most strongly...

• Specialized expertise

• Educational background

• Age

Specialized expertise will become even more important in the coming era of AI and automation.
As for educational background, among the limited job opportunities in regional areas, good or attractive job openings are usually restricted to university graduates... (by the way, I am a high school graduate).
As for age, it goes without saying that changing jobs while you are young is definitely more advantageous.

Management experience does not equal being all-powerful.
In fact, the more you have neglected specialized expertise, the more you will suffer later on.

Is management a 'punishment game'?

I don't want to dismiss the position of management.
That is because it is a position you cannot be entrusted with unless you have a certain track record and trust.

However—

I have worn down my physical strength, my mind, and my time with my family,
and there were many times I wondered, 'Is this really for my own good?'

Conclusion: The most important thing is you yourself

Management is just one position in a company.
It is not your whole life.

I think what is more important than career advancement or titles is 'how you want to be'.

After reading this book and looking back on my own experience of quitting management,
I feel that way all over again.

If you would like to know more specifically about management or want to delve deeper into solutions, I highly recommend picking up this book!

🔖 Book Information

“The Management Job That Has Become a Penalty Game: How to Fix a Bug-Ridden Workplace”
by Yuji Kobayashi / International Shinsho / Published February 2024

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