By Lindsay Bell
There are many reasons why I gush over my current boss.
She treats me with respect.
She trusts me to do the job I was hired to do.
She allows her team to have fun and be silly – in public!
And she liberally doles out positive feedback.
Aren't these just the normal things that any boss/manager would do? Not always. I have worked with some vicious managers, and have heard scads of similar stories from friends and family. Why are their dictator'esque bosses and managers out there?
I don’t have that answer.
But I have been in the workforce a really long time, so here are some of my experiences – and reasons – why you might be failing at the boss and/or manager game.
Maybe You Hired Wrong
A great boss doesn’t hire someone, and then belittle what they bring to the table. This person probably endured numerous interviews to land the job, and unless they are Oscar-worthy actors, you probably had a good feel for their skills and experience before you hired them. By all means, work with them if you need change or growth. But don't blame them if you hired wrong.
Beware Favoritism
Having best pals on the job can cause all kinds of conflict. Too much gossip. Discomfort if you need to discipline. Or, the old high school standard: Someone on staff becomes the Queen Bee. You need to be acutely aware of these inter-staff relationships, and ensure they aren’t upsetting the apple cart or clouding judgement. Most importantly, if you're a manager with a public close personal relationship with a subordinate staff member, it behooves you to be extra sure the rest of the team doesn't feel passed over or unfairly treated because of it.
You Don’t Share the Wealth
It doesn't matter what goals or performance benchmarks you're trying to hit, being afraid to share sensitive company information with your staff will hobble your efforts and leave your team feeling like they’re back in kindergarten. Hiding top-level information and doling it out in dribs and drabs does not provide a clear picture for your team of where you're at or where you aspire to be next month/quarter/year. You've hired professionals – trust them to be privy to company information and look ahead projections, and allow your team to have ownership of sensitive data. Let them work with you, instead of just for you.
Even Superheroes Need Help
Ok, I tease my boss a lot by calling her a robot. Which is pretty darned close to a superhero.
The only reason my boss is able to even get close to robot status is because she relies on her team to help her. She doesn't hoard responsibility. She shares the work load, and delegates where possible. And she doesn't want to constantly be the one in the limelight, or take all the credit for everything. Something far too many managers – whether from fear or puffery – seem obsessed with doing.
Now, before the pointy stakes and fiery torches come out, I recognize that there are many, many incredible employers, managers, corporate leaders etc., out there.
But old habits die hard. If any of you are struggling these days with an unhappy, under-achieving team, I hope you will stop and take a minute to look inward. There just might be a thing or two that could use a tweak.
A version of this post originally appeared on Spin Sucks.
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