11 Reasons Why You Are Not Managing Effectively

A manager’s job isn’t easy with its ups and downs. Without proper guidance, feedback, and encouragement, things can go wrong very easily.

Here are the bad habits a manager should never, ever develop. If you look through this list, you might identify whether you have some bad boss behaviours that are stopping you from going in the right direction. From there, you can start taking steps to improve.

11 Bad Habits in Management

1. Micromanaging

Do you like to manage every little thing? If so, is it for a good reason (like a big, public presentation), or is it because you don’t really trust your employees to do it the way you like it? If it’s the latter, and your employees are smart and independent, you might be micromanaging them.  Micromanaging makes employees feel stifled, anxious and unable to grow.

2. Not giving enough direction

Do you know what your employees are working on, and what they need to do in order to succeed? Do you have a plan to help every employee improve and progress? If not, it’s possible that they want your leadership, recognition and guidance. If they don’t get those, they will seek somewhere else.

3. Authoritarian

Do you seek input from your employees before making big decisions that affect them? If not, you might come across as uncaring or authoritarian, which are undesirable traits in any organisation.

4. Too indecisive

If you can’t make a decision without consulting your staff first, or you’re taking too much time to decide on something because you’re afraid of making mistakes, you’re not doing enough leading. People want to look up to their leaders for direction and reassurance.

5. Hypocritical

If you’re indecisive AND an authoritarian, this can be a big trouble for your company. Saying or doing one thing, then contradicting yourself with hypocritical actions. If people can’t rely on you to be consistent, they won’t be able to trust your leadership when it matters.

6. Treating everyone alike

You don’t treat friends and family the same way. Employees aren’t as close as family, but they deserve individual treatment too. Every employee is different, some are introvert and others are extroverts. They have their own traits. Depending on your relationship with these employees, try to consider how you should approach them.

7. Showing favouritism

Be careful about treating certain employees in a way that could be seen as preferential.  If you have an employee you go to lunch or spend time with, that’s not a bad thing. But remember that favouritism can be just as much an issue of perception as one of actual unfairness. Show that you care about everyone.

8. Too friendly

Employees who see you mainly as a friend might have a harder time following your direction when it’s time for you to be a manager, whether you are making sure everyone shows up on time or offering critical feedback to help them grow. Be careful about being overly casual about work.

Credit: The Office

9. Losing touch

There are distant managers, who are seen as a mystery to their employees. For employees, it can be hard to approach someone they’re not familiar with. This will create a distance between you and your employees.

10. Complaining too much

When there’s a bad situation affecting your team, it may seem like a chance to bond with them by sharing your frustrations, but instead try to remain positive. If you like to share your complains with your employees, you’re basically giving them the permission to harbor negativity about their jobs.

11. Not providing career development opportunities

If your organisation is not offering a clear plan for advancement, and you can’t offer them a chance to grow, they will start looking for it elsewhere. Raises and new titles may not be possible, but you can provide constructive criticism, goals and additional responsibilities that will help them grow.

Hiring Giving You a Headache? You've found the solution! Register at AJobThing.com to access our recruitment services.

Source: BambooHR

Related articles

When is the Right Time to Fire an Under-performing Employee

Bad Bosses Could Turn You Into a Great Leader, Research Says

Why Don't People Trust HR?