The truth is, not everyone will enjoy managing people. But luckily, you don’t have to become a manager to grow in your career. To discover if you really want to be a manager, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you find dealing with people too demanding? Do you like learning about the aspirations and motivations of others and finding ways to support them? Do you want to contribute to others being successful? If the answer is “no,” you should reconsider taking on a managerial role.
• Do you avoid uncomfortable conversations? Do you postpone having hard conversations until the issue becomes worse? Are you willing you work on this skill? If you can’t handle difficult conversations, or tend to avoid them, you should rethink taking on people management.
• Do you want the spotlight? Are you ready to let go of the work you did as an individual contributor? Are you okay with giving up some of the recognition you received for that work? Are you eager to share opportunities for growth with others? If not, becoming a manager might not be the right career move for you.
• Do you find administrative tasks annoying? Do they drain your energy? Are you okay with giving up your more creative or technical work for these tasks? If administrative work won’t feel fulfilling for you, a managerial role might not be the right fit.
• If you’re not interested in becoming a manager, you can still grow in your career. Consider broadening your experience by pursuing a new role in a different department at your organization, deepening your expertise by speaking at an industry event, doing a rotational program to try something new, or becoming an intrapreneur and moving forward with an innovative project at your company.