# First-time Damage Assessment By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-11-14 What is worse: a first-time manager or executive? A first-time manager often has fewer employees and organizational influence, but they may be the most misguided in managing. They often receive no training and are only promoted because they are the best at doing their job. The person or the organization gives little time to determine whether they are equipped to be a good manager. So, a first-time manager may cause significant havoc within their small sphere of influence. While this is likely smaller than the damage caused by a first-time executive, it is likely much more personal as the first-time manager has a lot of time to get into one's business. The first-time manager may cause less but much deeper damage and suffering. If one is lucky, one does not encounter a first-time manager. However, the odds are minimal that one avoids the damage inflicted by a first-time executive due to their much larger sphere of influence. Here, at least in theory, the executive has learned how to minimize their managerial damage through trial and error. As a result, the organization likely considers them a good manager in terms of organizational objectives that likely do not align with minimizing employee suffering. So, just as mindlessly as managers are selected, the organization promotes a manager to the executive role. One may think executives are just grown-up managers, but this is untrue. They set the goals and direction, whereas managers only propagate the executive agenda. Thus, first-time executives are likely ill-equipped to make effective decisions because they have no experience thinking independently within the organizational context. What does a person do when they find more freedom? If one is not prepared, one can do horrific things. That being said, it is less likely that the first-time executive damage will be as deep as there are many layers between them and the worker. To be clear, the first-time executive may make decisions that cause everyone to lose their jobs. This is undoubtedly bad, but it isn't nearly as bad as the physical, mental, and emotional abuse a first-time manager can inflict on those they have power over. It's just hard for the first-time manager to do this to many people simultaneously. So, what is worse? The organizational constructs that allow such things to happen in the first place. #### Related Items [[Management]] [[Executives]] [[Organization]] [[Suffering]] [[Structure]] [[Freedom]] [[Hiring]]