New | No place for narrow focus in transition to general manager
Specialisation at the expense of a diversified skillset leaves some poorly prepared for leadership
With businesses becoming increasingly susceptible to volatile market conditions and market interconnectedness across Asia, the need for general management is more important than ever before.
However, the focused proficiency of high-potential executives in their chosen specialisations, at the expense of more diversified skillsets, is proving a key bottleneck in meeting Asia's increasing demand for general managers.
This targeted focus often means they are inadequately prepared for leading a wider business and its people across multiple departments and markets, raising questions about how they will transition from being managed as functional heads to managing others.
One essential consideration for a general management role, yet one that is often resisted, is for transitioning individuals to redirect and unlearn trusted practices that guided their previous technical management style - both from business strategy and talent perspectives.
First, new general managers need to accept that they are leaving the nest.
One of the greatest requirements of a general manager is to have confidence in decisions that affect the entire business, and to be able to argue for them effectively and in the right way. With this newfound responsibility also comes the possibility of more easily distressing a larger cross-section of colleagues - particularly former associates.
