managers and mentors are not the same

made w/ midjourney

A manager is different than a mentor (or tutor or thought partner or research advisor) because a manager prioritizes the outcome even over the affect and satisfaction of the employees chasing that outcome. Sometimes employees need to be re-assigned or let go for the sake of the outcome.

Of course, very often, a recognized, satisfied employee will get to that outcome and get there faster than an employee who is ignored and disaffected. This is not a vote for treating people badly.

But new managers and managers of high-intellect or high-skill employees can rely too much on employee satisfaction as a proxy for good management. These managers can trap themselves and their reports in a frustrating cycle, unduly focusing on employee mood and avoiding “micro-management” at nearly all costs.

Maybe the very best feeling an employee has is making a big difference doing something that really matters. That “part of something bigger than oneself” satisfaction that comes from a shared pursuit, looking out through a big window instead of squinting at a small mirror. 

Paradoxically, managers who prioritize outcomes might be likelier to spark that highest, best feeling in their employees.

-ben and eric