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News
• 7 Signs You
May Be a Bad Manager.
By Steve Tobak / The Corner Office
One thing most bad managers have in common is they’re not
consciously aware that they’re bad managers. And if they are aware
of it on some level, they’re probably not willing to admit it to
anyone, least of all themselves. That’s because nobody wants to
believe they’re the problem.
It’s a common enough phenomenon that isn’t limited to bosses, but
applies to people at all levels: executives, managers, employees
too. I’m not a shrink, so I’m not sure why that is. But if I had to
guess, I’d say it’s probably got something to do with ego, denial,
compartmentalization, self-delusion, lack of perspective, that sort
of thing.
It would be all-too-easy to just label these folks dysfunctional and
call it a day, but I’m not entirely sure that would be either
accurate or helpful. I actually think we all suffer from this sort
of myopia to some extent and from time to time.
You see, in How to Deal With a Bad Boss: Don’t! I told readers to
take a long hard look in the mirror before pointing fingers at the
boss. Of course that cuts both ways. But in reading all the comments
and emails, I noticed a distinct lack of objectivity by those
actually experiencing a boss-employee relationship issue, as opposed
to those who were just talking about it.
When it’s happening to us, we put up our defenses. And not only is
that bad for business, it’s bad for your management career, as well.
So, even if you’re convinced that you’re the greatest manager on
planet Earth and your ability to be introspective knows no bounds,
you’d still be wise to check these 7 Signs You May Be a Bad Manager.
As for all you employees who’d rather be water-boarded than take a
cold hard look at yourself, most of the signs apply to individuals,
too.
* Your group is underperforming. Sooner or later, bad
management will trickle down and affect the entire organization.
Whatever the appropriate metrics are for an organization, poor
performance can usually be traced back to a management problem.
* Your manager is turning up the heat. When a good senior
manager thinks there may be a problem with a subordinate manager,
he’ll inevitably turn up the heat and see what happens. So if you
notice your boss putting the screws to you, it’s a sign that
something’s up.
* Allies are distancing themselves from you. It’s one thing for
your employees to talk behind your back and for your enemies to
despise you, but when your work friends and allies start to back
away, that’s an indication that you’re damaged goods.
* You’re behaving like more of a jerk than usual. You may be
in conscious denial about being a crappy boss, but on some level,
you’re probably aware of it. And that takes a toll on you, usually
in terms of increased stress and anxiety that you’ll likely take out
on others.
* Your decision-making is compromised. One of the most
visible signs of poor management is poor decision-making. After all,
decisions are actions, actions generate results, and results are
highly visible. Pay attention.
* Your personal relationships suck. Dysfunctional managers
are also dysfunctional people. Relationships are relationships,
period. And while I’m sure that some bad bosses are just wonderful
spouses and friends, I seriously doubt it’s very common.
* Your employees are miserable. Come on now. I don’t care how
self-absorbed you are, you know if your employees are miserable. Do
they stop talking and look guilty when you walk by? Do they invite
everyone else but you for drinks after work?
Steve Tobak is a consultant, writer, and former senior
executive with more than 20 years of experience in the technology
industry. He's the managing partner of Invisor Consulting, a Silicon
Valley-based firm that provides strategic consulting, executive
coaching, and speaking services to CEOs and management teams of
small-to-mid-sized companies.
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