If you’ve ever had the pleasure of working for a manager who taught you how not to lead, you’ll appreciate this blog.
Employees despise working for managers who do not practice even the most basic people skills, leading with intimidation and an iron fist. When forced into such working conditions, employees will typically avoid their managers at all costs which consequently leads to decreases in productivity, a measurable increase in mistakes and poor morale. There is no question this is cancerous to an organization. So, what causes employees to avoid their managers? Below is a list of twenty-nine:
1. The manager acts superior to everyone else
2. Conversations are often short and negative
3. Is moody
4. Is unpredictable/inconsistent
5. Is distant/has cold interactions
6. Doesn’t show real interest in employees/no bonds are made
7. Gossips
8. Always looking for a snitch to get information
9. Asks employees to bend their morals or principles for the benefit of the company
10. Takes credit for other people’s ideas
11. Rarely listens
12. Fakes kindness
13. Shows favoritism
14. Operates above his or her own laws
15. Isn’t a team player
16. Expects or demands respect but doesn’t return it
17. Does sub-par work
18. Constantly reminds everyone who the boss is
19. Asks for favors but never returns them
20. Always changing the rules
21. Doesn’t stay late with the rest of them team when work needs to get done
22. Nobody actually sees this manager work
23. Micromanages
24. Wants to control everything
25. Lack of trust
26. Can’t be trusted
27. Uses the communication roadblocks
28. Has history of making poor decisions
29. Leadership position was “gifted” to them for all the wrong reasons
Anything else that should be added? When managers practice such behaviors, it makes everyone wonder how he or she was awarded a position of leading and managing people in the first place. And an organization cannot reasonably expect its employees to respect and be loyal to their employer with such incompetent or even abusive people in leadership positions.
The good news is that highly effective and proven leadership skills can be taught. When managers learn and start practicing Active Listening, conflict resolution, communication and teamwork skills, productivity improves, morale turns around, people don’t make as many mistakes and the good employees start sticking around longer.
So the question is, how would leadership training impact your bottom line?