Being a manager that focuses on his team and hopes to gain their trust and respect, is never easy. It is a never-ending mission that requires daily sacrifices. However, there are two sides of this coin. However, many managers focus only on the one that may seem beneficial for employees, but it is not always so...
The Daily Muse website recently had an interesting article written by Avery Augustine, a manager of a technology company, who has spent many years as a manager and an employee and discovered three mistakes that managers often make.
1. Responsiveness
A few years ago, Augustine led a company that hired mostly college students trying to gain work experience in the field while studying. Most of them worked part-time as and when their school schedule and study obligations allowed. For the company, it was an opportunity to educate a new generation of employees. The author, however, soon found out that students do not always take their duties as seriously as she had hoped.
As soon as the holidays approached, all of them had suddenly booked flights before they had got their time off approved. The management team, with almost no exceptions, consented because they thought that they would keep loyal workers this way. Unfortunately, the workload, which suddenly fell on those who had not booked a holiday, made them more annoyed and discontented which then was reflected on their approach to their work. Paradoxically, the loyal employees were those who did not take a vacation. However, clients are never interested in these matters, and always require a professional and friendly approach.
Happy employees should be a priority for a manager, but he always has to have the interests of the organization in mind. If you authorize another employee request, does this affect your clients and processes in the company? Will productivity decrease when you allow flexible working time or home-offices? Do your employees miss important dates when they have a vacation? Responsiveness is not always worthwhile, is it?
2. Benevolence
Perhaps you also tend sometimes to give someone a chance, although his experience does not quite fit the job position. After all, you will be a mentor to him and he showed so much enthusiasm during the interview and, moreover, also studied at the same school. The author of the article also had a similar feeling while seeing the same enthusiasm from an applicant during the interview. The concession she made by hiring someone who had the qualities above, however, did not work out; he did not have as great a work ethic as he had promised, and so had to leave.
Of course, emotional preference at the expense of reason will not always backfire on you, but it may cause disservice to your business, if you have to invest more money into recruiting new staff.
3. Not criticising
If you are new in a managerial role, then you will certainly try to make a positive impression on your peers and subordinates. You smile, you are communicative, helpful and every morning you greet everybody. Augustine had this experience with her superior at one of her jobs. Her boss was just great, and everybody loved her for her positive attitude. However, once it came time to talk with the employees about their declining performance, and where the problem was, she avoided giving even constructive criticism. Is everything all right? I am worried about you. Would you like to take a few days off? These were the most common well-meaning questions. Employees who had been through this type of discussion were grateful for her positive attitude, but had no idea that they were not bringing in the desired results.
You do not have to rule with an iron fist, or surrender to employee satisfaction. Your goal is to think of the good of the company, and forward this idea to your employees. Find out how the firm's values corresponds to the values of your employees. Your goal is to align them.
-bn-