What are the biggest mistakes good managers make? That’s the question I asked 130 of our Blanchard executive coaches for an article I was working on.
Because many of the coaches at first didn’t notice the distinction of good managers, I got a lot of responses about managers who put themselves first, who are inconsistent, or who simply don’t take the time necessary to be clear about expectations. The narcissists, the bullies, the lazy, the petty, the dictators, the volatile, the jerks—we’ve all had at least one boss that fits the bill there. These are the people who become horror stories at the dinner table and who cause stress-related illness in others.
But these were not the people I wanted to write about. There is already a great deal of literature about terrible bosses.
I was focused on the mistakes good managers make. The person who works as hard as their people, views employees as human beings with thoughts, feelings and lives of their own, and works hard to be a good communicator; the manager who is self aware, aware of others, and tries really hard to take the best possible care of his or her people.
So what are the top three mistakes?
Once we made the good distinction clear, we heard back from over 50 coaches and collated all of the responses to come up with the top three mistakes good managers make. The top three were (drum roll please):
- Not setting proper boundaries. In an effort to be liked, it is easy for a manager to let people get away with things they shouldn’t. Employees can feel it when they have a “nice” manager who really isn’t in charge. In the end, it actually makes people feel unsafe. Dr. Henry Cloud literally wrote the book on this topic: Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships, and Being Ridiculously in Charge. Articulating and defending clear boundaries is a skill and can be made into a habit.
- Adding value. As a manager, sometimes you have to let employees rise to a challenge. If you step in to rescue them too much, you aren’t doing them any favors. For example, when an employee has an idea or plan that you determine to be good enough, think twice about tweaking or adding your thoughts unless it is truly mission critical. Marshall Goldsmith talks about this in his wonderful book What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. He also has a terrific blog post on the topic.
- Ignoring personal growth. When you are taking care of everyone else all the time, it can be really easy to forget about yourself. When was the last time you thought about your own brilliant career? What have you wanted to learn that you haven’t made the time for? Do your employees see you as a role model for development—an inspirational learner?
Have we missed anything?
When you’re focused on the development of others, it can be easy to forget about yourself. Over the next few weeks, we will look at the different ways these mistakes get made—and how you can avoid them in the first place.
Are there other mistakes good managers make that you would like to add to this list? Please add them in the Comments section and we will discuss them in this column.
About this new column
Madeleine’s Advice for the Well Intentioned is a new Saturday feature for a very select group: well intentioned managers. Leadership is hard, and the more you care, the harder it gets. Join us here next week to look at another challenge (and possible solution) for this unique group.
Not listening (eally listening, that is). Watch for tone of voice, confidence level and body language; an employee procrastinating when you’ve got a one-on-one meeting coming up can indicate a reluctance to share feedback or suggestions if they feel you haven’t listened in the past and really been part of the conversation you’re supposed to be having.
There is one I see often – – Related to #1 – boundaries for yourself. I see good managers who are so dedicated they fall out of balance – working too many hours vs focusing on value. This is damaging to their health, ends up not being sustainable for the business, and sets a poor example to their teams that you have to martyr yourself to be successful in management. Thanks for providing this dialogue!
Reblogged this on Practical Managers and commented:
We are problem solvers. That is how we become managers / leaders. But that’s not always the right response when you’re the manager
Reblogged this on Gr8fullsoul.
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I feel that a person entrusted with the position of being an in-charge in a Food & Beverage Restruant should never create an ethical situation of talking down your Customer Service Manager in the full view of customers and subordinate workers. If not for the CUM being cool, calm and collective as the in-charge who does not possess the required academic qualifications or the relevant exposure necessary to act in such situations ethically by addressing the issue after when the crowd has simmered down and in private or over lunch to voice your opinions. Because first and foremost the manner in which a swinging door should be opened unless specified “PULL” OR “PUSH”. It can be opened in either way depending on the host who is manning this area. But by the in-charge approaching the CSMngr at this juncture does not appear appropriate further more waving your index finger in a forward and backward motion! (How would one perceive this action as?) as though you are reprimanding me or the CSMngr does not sit well to onlookers especially notwithstanding the “FACT THE C S MNGR IS 61 YRS OF AGE AND HAS BEEN IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY FOR 35-40yrs having held various positions from coffee house Manager to Resident Manager to Consultant. Clearly by his cool and calm demure he has proven that he supersede you in every way especially ethical reasoning. Whereas the In-charge wants to show his authority
Well I Gerald Clement Pereira was expecting a reply from the relevant party however nothing appears to be forthcoming.Well in the law fraternity it’s common to assume that ‘SILENCE IS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT’, So what more can I say I feel that some of this people who have been made in-charge of certain outlets by virtue of them having been in service for the boss for quite a period of time and as such the bosses are compelled to do something out of gratitude of their loyalty over a period of time. Notwithstanding the fact that as time and the tempo of modern day business is moving at a rapid pace more so if you have tough competition how will these so called ‘in-charge’ stay relevant b’cos they are not receptive to change. Which is then channelled down to co-workers who also begin to adopt this attitude. How then can one see improvement even if there was some kind of change the person who institutes such change have to constantly and literally be the change by having to do and maintain these changes. While the in-charge has a non compliance view the rest of the staff also display the same characteristics of non- compliance. The situation deteriorates because the Customer Service Manager faces a burnout. If it takes 4 people to set up dining hall I’ll have to correct this 4 people’s mistakes day in day out. If the person detailed to maintain the store falters as non compliance to the new implemented standards so as to meet current trends and the guy detailed to toilet duty falters again it would be assumed the Customer Service Manager defaulted.
So what shall I do?
ANYBODY WITH ANY SMART IDEAS THIS IS AN INDIAN RESTRUANT SITUATED IN SINGAPORE INTERNATIONALLY FRANCHISED GLOBAL CHAIN NEARLY ALL MY WORKERS ARE INDIAN NATIONALS WHO ARE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE REASONABLY IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE:CONSIDER THIS THE ICING ON THE CAKE.