As a leadership speaker and trainer, I often ask my participants, who are all managers themselves, to describe their worst manager ever. I always say, “No names, no company names – just describe the traits, qualities and characteristics of your worst manager or supervisor, and what kind of environment they created.”
After 12 ½ years of conducting leadership seminars, it always ends up being a very lively discussion! Sure it’s important to talk about effective leadership, and the keys to managing people. But it can be equally beneficial to hear about the most common mistakes managers make. After all, in having a difficult supervisor many of us learned the kind of manager we never wanted to be.
Here are the most common mistakes managers make:
-
Micromanaging. Distrustful of employees.
-
Demonstrates unethical behavior such as stealing.
-
Moodiness or mental health issues where behavior is too unpredictable and the employees are walking on eggshells. Hot tempered and so on.
-
Gossiping and backstabbing about the employees you’re managing, or about other managers and supervisors.
-
Shows blatant favoritism.
-
False promises. Over-promising and under-delivering.
-
No real open door policy. For example, in managing people, the manager acts as if they have an open door policy. But when employees go to them with a question, they’re intimidating and unapproachable.
-
Disorganized and inexperienced on the job.
-
Takes the credit for your ideas. Doesn’t give credit where credit is due.
-
Maintains “do as I say not as I do” behavior. Doesn’t model or practice what they preach.
-
Bad communicator. Either non-confrontational or overly confrontational and critical.
None of us are perfect at managing people. It’s progress not perfection. Most of us know what to do. But we don’t always know what not to do. That’s where this list comes in. Is there any area you need to work on? Becoming a better listener with your employees? Better communicator? Maintaining more of an open door policy? In establishing more trust and credibility, remember your employees are watching you. Good luck!
“Recognition is important, challenging, and easily forgotten—so pay attention and don’t forget to say ‘thanks.’” Mary Le, Intel Corporation
Sign up for Colleen’s free e-newsletter on leadership, life balance, dealing with difficult people, managing people, presentation skills and more: http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com/newsletter.htm
For Colleen Seward Ryan’s leadership and managing people articles, visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com/freearticles.htm
Watch Colleen Seward Ryan’s live speaking engagements at:
http:// www.ColleenSpeaks.com/kettenhofen_video.htm
