Four Signs You Have A Bad Manager

We have all seen, heard about, and directly experienced bad managers.??

When I speak to people who refer to “the worst manager ever” they invariably list off descriptions such as a bully, quick to blame, devoid of emotion, manipulative, “all about No. 1”, takes?all?the credit, shuts down debate in favour of their own beliefs and biases, avoids tough decisions, lacks any empathy and a “common touch”.??It would be difficult to connect with such people on the best of days.??We all know management is not a popularity contest and there are difficult moments in any manager’s day.??Invariably, those moments are made worse by allowing short-term thinking and emotions to govern behaviour.??

We all make mistakes, and we are all especially prone when we take short-cuts or when working under pressure.??Here are 4 “watch outs” to beware of:

1.?????Do what you say you are going to do.??There is little worse than saying one thing and doing another.??Inconsistent behaviour is the fastest way to lose respect.??It is made worse when a “course change” is passed off without explanation.??Such behaviour can be deeply corrosive, and for those staff who are invested in their work, and possess elephant like memories, it will neither be easily forgotten nor forgiven.???

Duplicity is a toxic stain on one’s character if acquired.??Doing what you say you are going to do is the foundation of trust.??Without trust in a relationship, there is no relationship.

2.?????Favourites.??Every manager has one.??Not a problem if the “favourite” embodies all the characteristics of a high performer.??However, it quickly turns sour when the “favourite” is plainly not competent, has limited development potential, or is allowed to “freely swing the lead without consequence”.??

Few other dynamics cause whispers to envelope an organisation.??The fault lies with the manager, not the favourite.??Stay professional, be objective. Keep friends for friendship, and work with the skilled and competent.

3.?????Control freak.??The inability to delegate is one of the biggest challenges that is shared with managers at all levels.??The best manager is the one who has sense enough to pick a good team to do what he /she wants done, and enough self-restraint to keep from meddling with the team whilst they do it.??When managers say they are “busy”, it’s really a poor excuse.??If managers really want to stuff done, delegate it. Managers must delegate if they are to "elevate".

4.?????Leading with Fear.??Fear of failing, fear of losing credibility, fear of unknowns, fear of criticism, fear of change.??A bad manager not only leads with fear, but they also lack the self-awareness to recognise the negative impact of their actions on others.??They ignore feedback that contradicts their own beliefs about themselves.

Leading with fear, even unintentionally, has profound consequences.??Staff start to act defensively instead of being curious, they spend time in effort wanting to be right instead of wanting to learn, and with the desire to protect their self-esteem rather than feeling safe in taking risks and showing vulnerability.??With fear at the forefront of decisions, bad managers drive their team into acting with fear.

If you find yourself working under such circumstances that drain your energy and distract you from your work, you should humbly ask others for their perspective.??Then consider how your own behaviour affects the relationship dynamic and try out and test different ways to address recurring disappointments.??If you have made every effort and there is no change, be true to yourself and move on.??

Life is simply too short to spend it with bad managers – move on.??It’s the No. 1 reason people leave their jobs.