There is nothing worse for an organization than a bad manager. Bad managers can grind productivity to a halt, dissolve employee engagement and cause turnover rates to skyrocket. What’s more, bad managers can increase the stress levels of a workplace, causing significant health issues at every level. In sum, bad managers are bad.
Unfortunately, business leaders are not always adept at identifying bad managers. Here are some hallmarks of bad management and what to do when leaders encounter them in the workplace.
Poor Communication
Regardless of industry and role, communication is the most important skill for any worker to have. Good communication skills allow individuals and teams to share information efficiently and accurately, which has dozens of positive effects, from faster project completion to happier workers and clients. Yet, communication can be a difficult skill to learn, and it is not uncommon for workers to be promoted into management without mastering all forms of communication.
Unfortunately, poor communication from management is one of the worst habits a business can allow. When leaders are not adept communicators, workers fail to grasp core concepts that uphold the organization. A bad communicator in leadership might not adequately explain team goals or might not pay close attention to the feedback from team members. Ultimately, ineffective communication thwarts the distribution of accurate information, leading to discord and dissatisfaction amongst workers.
Micromanagement
Managers have a full plate of big-picture responsibilities that should keep them busy day-in and day-out — and yet, some managers still find time to hover over their team members, micromanaging their every move. No worker enjoys having their hand held through every task, especially once they are trained and skilled in their role. Unfortunately, some managers are desperate for full control over the actions of their workers, which means they will closely watch
Micromanagement wastes everyone’s time. Managers who participate in micromanagement have less time and energy to complete their own tasks, and workers who are being micromanaged must devote time and energy to informing their leader of the actions they are taking. Employees tend to feel stifled in this environment, and most will quickly leave in search of more autonomy in their work.
Negative Focus
Many managers want their employees to be the best they can be, and to that end, they will always search for ways their team members can improve. Regardless of how excellently a team completed a project, these managers will always find something wrong to comment on, in the hopes that the next project will be one step closer to perfect. However, most workers do not perceive this negative focus as a positive attribute.
Constant criticism and negative critique are dispiriting. No one thrives in an environment suffused with such negativity; everyone needs regular positive reinforcement to feel fulfilled. Thus, when a manager maintains such a negative focus over the long term, their workforce will slowly but surely leave in search of a more uplifting workplace.
Showing Favorites
In theory, no parent should have a favorite child, but in practice, no parent should make it known which child they prefer. The same is true for management. It is natural for managers to develop affinity for certain workers, who might have more talent, more similar interests, stronger work ethic or some other more advantageous attributes than their peers. Yet, having a favorite and showing favoritism are two different issues for management.
There is a golden rule for managers: Do unto all employees what is done unto the favorites. Managers who put effort into employee anniversary recognition for their favorites must do the same for everyone else — otherwise, workers will develop resentment for one another and their leaders and quit in fury.
Motivation Through Fear
Authoritarian managers believe that fear is the most effective motivational tool. These managers strive to keep their teams on task through various frightening and stress-inducing tactics. Some managers might lose their tempers quickly and easily, resulting in raised voices or violent behaviors throughout the workday. Other managers might strive to humiliate employees or incite cutthroat competition. Finally, managers might be wanton with disciplinary action or else frequently reference termination as a means of incentivizing employees to work better.
Yet, studies have found that fear is not an effective motivator, especially in the workplace. Employees who experience fear regularly become chronically stressed, and this condition clouds their cognitive and creative capabilities while producing myriad negative physical effects. As workers become more emotionally intelligent, they are less tolerant of fear-based leadership, and they will quickly and happily relocate to another organization.
Business leaders should be able to recognize the hallmarks of a bad manager, and they should take swift and decisive action to prevent that manager from causing undue harm. Through leadership development programs or through relocation in the organization, bad managers can learn good habits and become productive members of the leadership team.
Authored by Samantha Waites, EMediaBuyers team
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