Be a manager, too! But only if you are a manager

„The coward has doubts before the decision, the brave only after."

To whom does it do good to get into a managerial position? To everyone? Are there any people who should never become managers? Yes, there are. Every fourth Hungarian manager pays a high price for his choice.

There is a profession in which in almost all cases no eligibility examinations precede the filling of positions: this is management.

Most production companies subject those whom they would like to hire (blue collars, for that matter) to various physiological and psychological examinations. From lab to lab, from the company physician to the company psychologist, the individual does his pilgrimage with his records. All along the way he is tormented with tests, instrumental examinations and tricky questions. Even for several days. Finally, if all goes well, the person is hired. He passed; he can work on a production line.

Three levels higher (in the sphere of managers and executives), we no longer see similar eligibility examinations. Not because of a lack of methods but because we are seldom aware of the physiological and psychological risks of filling a managerial position. They are, however, enormous. One might kill with an appointment.

In Hungary every fourth manager who fills an executive position suffers significant distortions in one's personality. In their case the presence of increased stress is a psychosocial risk factor which cannot be neglected and which can shorten their lives by decades.

But why do so many take on something that is detrimental for them? The answer is prosaic. Such decisions are born out of pressure. Internal or external pressure.

The nature of external pressure is of course existential. More money, more benefits, the prospective of a higher pension, etc. At the same time this is still not the primary cause of the bad choice.

The notion of internal pressure refers to our hidden personality traits. In many cases we find ego, self-esteem and pride in the background of our aspirations for leadership. And it is not easy to come to terms with these.

If we take into consideration the 72 basic personality types, only 8 of them have healthy leadership ambitions, talents and perspectives. 12 profiles may be ameliorated by self-development, 52, however, fall into the risk zone. 21 out of 52 strive ambitiously to get to the top of the ladder. They should not, however.