2019-03-28
Head Hurting

Gallup revealed that most American workers are disenchanted with their jobs. Most of those people surveyed (55 percent) felt undervalued and did the minimum expected in order to get through their day since they were fighting to survive. "About 17.2 percent in Gallup's research were 'actively disengaged.' These employees were either checked-out or just going through the motions." Management doesn't equate to leadership. However, it can be a springboard in becoming a leader. But don't discount the power of management, either. It shapes communities, families and can inspire groups of people to reach higher and beyond in the company. Yet, this is not always the case according to the Gallup study. What is this growing shift of hostility at work? Well, it's not purely economical. Management, in general, may be the blame but are not at total fault. In some cases, supervisors are not trained to handle all the peculiarity of employees. Here are 7 mistakes you could be making as a manager.

You Micromanage

Micromanagers always operate from a position of power and control. There is the tendency to believe that this prevents situations from going South, but this is false. Again, it's about control author Marcel Schwantes explained and about building trust. "When you hire bright people that reflect your and your company's values, equip them to succeed and share power with them, you have extended trust their way." Some managers have difficulty letting go of the small stuff if they can't trust their people, which is not always the case. They will burn out their employees and themselves in the process.

You Have Poor Communication

There are times you can’t divulge everything from the boardroom, but people will know if you’re lying to them or hoarding information. Supervisors might use this as a ploy to keep control over their environment. It can be as small is never telling your staff when you will be out of the office, or something bigger like policy changes. Career expert Tony Scherba said the team will know if you’re hiding information. “Keep individuals up to date on their status as it relates to the group. All this forces you to have and share your vision, which is what makes you a great leader in the first place." No one is perfect but communication with your team is imperative.

You Set a Poor Example

A common mistake among young and seasoned managers is not following the rules like everyone else. If there is a time that you need to clock in, be on time. If there are things like common etiquette that you expect from employees, you need to execute them as well. If you demand hard work, you better take part and jump in to help. Talented executives face problems with their employees because they didn't exhibit those same behaviors. When they don't, they allow resentment to fester over time. "It's difficult to have resentment towards managers who roll up their sleeves and actually follow the same principles," Victor Lipman, a contributor to Forbes wrote. "It has nothing to do with talent and everything to do with entirely controllable behavior."

You Don't Make Time For Employees

Managers who make time to hear what their employees have to say not only engage their employees but could prevent needless problems in the future. This helps people and you to become more involved rather than dictating orders. Instead, involve your team in planning goals and offer support when needed. Make sure to do your one-on-ones as they are important and this will keep you updated with projects. This also shows that there's a willingness to listen to the concerns of others as well.

You Overwork People

If you want to burn out an employee, set nonsensical expectations on them. Nothing burns out people more than being overtaxed and being managed under somebody who uses fear as a weapon to keep them overworked. It makes sense to have the best people do the bulk of the work because you trust them to follow through. But the flip side is that employees start to feel like they're being punished for being a productive worker. The truth is fecundity will decline. It also dips "sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that you don’t get anything out of working more," the Huffington Post reported. This includes people always being online to answer emails and phone calls. 

You Don't Offer Encouragement

Never underestimate the power of encouraging your team and individual employees. Communicate with your people and see what makes them feel good beyond giving out raises. For some people receiving public recognition for hard work means a lot. Make encouragement a common occurrence and you will see a happier team in general.

You Lack Empathy

We get not everyone has the capability to empathize. But if you can’t relate to others or don't even try to understand them, it could cause problems as an employee will feel that you don't care. When this happens there will be a disconnection between you and your workers. It's up to you to help employees. However, if you're more merciless and poised to be aggressive, you can expect some sort of backlash like a loss for solid performers. 
 
Transform yourself into someone that people can work for and relate to using humility, encouragement, fairness and using open communication. In the process, you will not only empower others but yourself as well.
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