Beware the leader title on a middle-manager job

I wanted to share something I’ve been seeing quite a bit of lately: people being hired to fill big jobs without being given what they need to succeed. 

Those jobs are really hard to get these days, thanks to a tight market and seemingly endless interview rounds. By the time the offer arrives, candidates are so relieved they’ll sign anything. 

Even candidates who do negotiate compensation and benefits aren't spending enough time considering the terms of the job itself. Things like:

• Decision authority

• Strategy ownership

• Resources and budget

• Support for your own professional development

• Personnel decisions

• Buy-in from key collaborators

If you don’t have those things, you’re not really in charge. You’re window dressing.

You carry the expectations without the ability to fulfill them. And the inflated title only reinforces the gap between what people expect and what you can deliver. Here’s the fun part: you’ll be blamed. 

So what to do? Before you take the role, switch gears. Stop trying to convince them you’re right for the job and start making sure it’s a job you can succeed in.

Invest the time to understand how your performance will be measured — and that you have the say, resources and support you need to achieve those ends. That pre-wiring will not only set you up for success, it will signal to your new employer that you’re serious. 

And if you can’t secure those terms? You'll need to decide whether you’re willing to take the accountability without the authority.

Interviewing for a big job in social impact, government or media? Let's talk before you take it.