Eleanor From The Hit NBC Show ‘The Good Place’ Can Teach You a Thing or Two About Managing Other People

Business LoungeNovember 1, 2019

It seems like ‘The Good Place’ really does deserve the acclaim it’s getting. Aside from being a highly entertaining comedy show, this award-winning series is also filled with tons of life lessons a variety of people can take inspiration from.

Avid fans of the show will remember how Eleanor (played by ‘When In Rome’ actress Kristen Bell) got a promotion as the neighborhood’s architect last season. But while she was apparently the best choice to fill the position, the on-the-spot promotion wasn’t really something she’s asked for.

As expected, things started eventually going well for Eleanor, until they weren’t anymore. Suddenly, people were getting frustrated over her leadership despite their initial support for her. This kind of situation is probably something that most real-life managers can relate to.

These are some of the things new managers can learn from Eleanor’s experience on the job and how she dealt with the challenges she faced.

Difficulties Come With the Job

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One should get used to the increased stress and challenges that come with a higher position

First-time managers may feel overwhelmed by having a new set of responsibilities with greater consequences. But keep in mind that these come at a good trade off as managers often enjoy higher paychecks.

Being responsible for more projects and employees, one’s natural talents may not be enough anymore to get one through the bumpy road ahead at work. That doesn’t mean that one should just give up though, part of being a good and effective manager is learning new skills that may come in handy along the way.

The Importance of a Mentor

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Try asking your boss what qualities convinced them to put you in a manager position and how these can be used to better do your job

In ‘The Good Place’, one could notice how Eleanor chose to vent to Michael (Ted Danson), instead of Tahani (Jameela Jamil), who was her former colleague. This ends up being a very wise decision on Eleanor’s part as Michael has the skills and experience to mentor her that Tahani just don’t have. As can be remembered, it was Michael who once held Eleanor’s current job.

Similarly, new managers shouldn’t be afraid of approaching their boss and be honest with them regarding their struggles. Good bosses would be supportive and help through challenges as it would benefit the workplace in the long run. What more, there’s probably a good reason why a boss chooses certain people to promote.

Things Get Harder

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You can certainly get better at your management role as time passes and you get a better hang of things

Unlike in Eleanor’s case, managers working in the real world can quit if their jobs are getting to be too much to handle for them. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Just remember that, if one does end up staying in their position, things are only bound to get harder. Don’t be afraid though, one can grow tougher as the challenges they face grow tougher as well.