Top 4 Mistakes of Mediocre Managers

Being a good manager isn’t necessarily just about knowing the ins and outs of a specific business, or about being in the same industry for a certain number of years.

It has less to do with experience in the industry and more to do with a manager’s overall leadership style and approach.

So what could some of our managers with impressive resumes but with less than impressive management skills be doing wrong?

Here are 4 of the most common mistakes mediocre managers make:

Micromanagement

Micromanagement saps the enthusiasm and energy from employees by creating the impression that they aren’t valuable or even in control of their own projects. Given enough time, the resulting disengagement can both negatively impact the team’s quality of work, as well as have a pronounced effect on retention. It is key for managers to set clear expectations so employees know what they are supposed to do, and then trust them to complete the task.

Not Making the Transition From Worker to Manager

Some of the most talented employees from a technical perspective become the worst managers because they fail to realize they are now responsible for the results of a group of people, not just themselves. These types of managers often also have a hard time delegating responsibility, causing them to get caught up in mundane tasks versus focusing on the big picture and overall strategic values of the team.

Throwing Employees Under the Bus

Rather than taking responsibility for the areas they manage, some managers blame particular employees when things go wrong or when confronted by executive leadership. When a manager participates in workplace gossip, constantly blames employees and/or fails to take responsibility, respect, and support for that manager is lost from both executive leadership and the manager’s subordinate team.

Not Offering Recognition

Managers who fail to show appreciation of their team or of an individual’s work, especially if they go above and beyond their daily responsibilities, can result in disengagement and resentment over the long term. Managers must take the time to recognize employees’ efforts as such recognition can enhance engagement and the feeling of pride and attachment to one’s work.

Not sure how to help your managers get to the next level of leadership skills and communication? SDHRC can help move your Managers to Leaders.

SDHRC’s goal is to empower New Managers, High Potentials, Mid-Level Managers and Senior Executives to enhance their toolbox to become a Great Leader or Coach.

We provide eye-opening, engaging, thoughtful, interactive and fun training sessions utilizing role-plays and realistic scenarios that match your organization and culture.