As someone in a leadership position, it’s important that you also take note of the way you act in the workplace and how you interact with your team. If you want to be a positive, motivational leader to your team, avoid doing any of the following.
Micro-Managing
While the devil is in the details, an effective manager shouldn’t be. When you take on the role of leadership within a company, it is important to acknowledge that delegation is part of your job. Doing it is one thing, doing it well is another. You don’t want to constantly be looking over your team’s shoulders making sure the job is done right. That breeds resentment in your team and reveals your lack of confidence in your own leadership.
Limit Growth Opportunities
Just like with micro-managing, leadership needs to provide opportunities for growth. Employees who aren’t allowed to come up with new ideas or procedures of their own aren’t going to deliver the value that they should be. Workers who are told what to do at every turn will quickly become frustrated at the slowing down growth or any sort of progress. This stifles the smart risk-taking that leads to innovation. Employees with real skills and valuable knowledge will in most cases leave such management situations and inevitably the organization is left with workers who are simply happy to wait and follow directions.
Take All the Credit
Sharing out the work is an important part of a manager’s job, but it can be really hurtful to your leadership strategy if you don’t share the credit. When you are in a position of power, it is so important to make sure you are giving credit where credit is due and working hard to raise up your whole team.
Ignore Feedback
Managers who refuse to hear feedback about their work are terrible to work for or with. It’s important to have a vision and an understanding of how to achieve it, but listening to outside perspectives is critical to your own growth and success.
Lie or Hide the Truth
Those managers who are quick to place blame on others, or to outright lie about mistakes they have made, are never successful within their role long term. People don’t want to work for them and companies don’t want them leading the business.
Over Criticize
The Constant Critic is never a good leader. If you find yourself criticizing your employees more than you praise them, you need to think about how effectively you’ve trained them to do their job. The buck stops with you so be mindful of any criticism you provide. It likely belongs equally with you.
Shame or Bully Team Members
It is never appropriate to publicly or privately shame an employee. Providing feedback is an important part of your role as a manager, but how you do so needs to be aligned with your company culture and professional expectations.
Play Favorites
Those managers who focus on one or two favorite employees on their team find themselves struggling to maintain a strong team dynamic. Managers need to create a balanced and inclusive environment for their team to operate within.
Abuse Their Position of Power
Power dynamics in the workplace can be intense, but a good manager never takes advantage of the situation. Harassment and bullying in the workplace should be quickly addressed by HR teams. But beyond that, no one wants to work for a bully.
Gossip.
Gossip in the workplace can be very toxic. Don’t fake being nice to an employee and gossip about them once their back is turned. They’ll quickly find a team that is more professional.
Bergman Brothers is your staffing partner with an understanding of what it takes to build great teams. Let us help you staff up today.
