Are you the kind of manager people would choose to work for again? Imagine if the circumstances were before you where your team could select who would lead the group. If they had it to do all over again, would your team put you in charge?
We all would like to think our team members would gladly want us as their manager again. Does it surprise you that in a recent Hogan survey, the average respondent would be willing to work for fewer than half of their former bosses again? Ouch! Who’s in the outcast boss group?
Here is what the survey went on to uncover about bad bosses. The research does not call this the 4-headed monster, but in thinking about these 4 management mishaps, the title seems appropriate. Here is the list of the characteristics of Bad Managers:
- Bad managers don’t manage their emotional and social behavior.
- Bad managers lack integrity, avoid personal accountability, and their behavior is inconsistent with organizational values.
- Bad managers don’t make their expectations clear and don’t hold staff accountable for performance.
- Bad managers make minimal efforts to develop or grow their staff.
Here are some questions you consider and utilize to be sure you are on the list of people who would be chosen to lead again and again. *Warning*: The following questions require high levels of self-awareness and ability to be take some time to seek feedback, while reflecting on what you do, hear and see. They are not for someone who wants a quick-fix or easy answer. However, use them wisely, honestly and with the intention of improving your leadership and you will be impressed with the results.
- Manage your emotional and social behavior. Seek to increase your emotional intelligence. To begin to improve in this area, you must first understand yourself; how you tend to behave in situations; what motivates and excites you and what drains your energy. Consider the impact of your behavior on others, along with their style and preferences. Are there areas where your behavior may be perceived differently than what you are intending? Do you expect certain behavior and reactions from others based on your own preferences? Is this a realistic expectation?
- Act with integrity and personal accountability in a way that is consistent with the organization’s values. Integrity: People say “either you have it or you don’t”. Ask yourself, how do people perceive your integrity? What are the values of the organization you work for? How do you demonstrate those values? Do you take credit when things go right, but pass blame or make excuses when things go wrong? How you can ensure your team sees you leading by example with integrity? Maybe this means you make your life harder in the short-term, to achieve an outcome consistent with your values or the values of the organization in the long-run.
- Ensure expectations are clear and hold your team accountable. Do you ensure your team has clear goals? Do the goals follow the SMART format? Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time-based. Are the goals written down and then throw by the way-side or do you revisit these goals, discuss progress and barriers to achieving them? How do you hold people accountable for the outcomes you agree to?
- Develop your others on your team. What are the short-term and long-term career goals of the people are your team? Do you know what gets them excited or interested at work? What skills, talents and experiences will they need to accomplish their career aspirations? What role do you take in helping them obtain new skills and experiences? Do you avoid developing your team members because it may result in them moving on from your team (a major inconvenience or setback to your work)? Although it may seem intuitive to make your best efforts to ensure your team stays operating as they are today; are you ignoring the inevitable? What is the trade-off for someone leaving your team because they do not get any development versus someone growing into a job the stretches and utilizes their skills. Which offers you more allegiance and pro-activity in the long-haul on your team?
We have all probably heard the phrase, “people don’t leave companies, they leave bosses”. What specifically will you do to be sure your team members not only stay with your team, but would come back again if given the chance? Be the boss everyone wants to work for and see the positive impact on loyalty, teamwork and results.