When it comes to management, you want the best of the best leading your team. You want effective supervision with the right amount of oversight so that the job gets done appropriately but also allowing employees to feel independent, empowered, and trusted. After all, what is a company without all tiers of employees giving their all and holding their own? In most businesses, managers are the face of the team, the people who are supposed to have all the answers, hold it all together, and make the company flow seamlessly. Sometimes, these things don’t happen. Read on to find out top mistakes that managers make, why it’s impacting your company, and what you can do about it.
Failing to Provide Clear Directions
In order for a company to run smoothly, all employees must be able to do their part. If a manager doesn’t effectively give instructions and set expectations, it becomes a lose-lose for everybody. Managers should purposefully give instructions on how to complete tasks and lay out the expected end result so there is no grey area.
Failing to Trust
Along with providing clear instructions, managers should allow employees to get to the end goal in whatever way they need to, so long as it’s beneficial to the company and provides the expected end result. Too many managers try to do it all, leaving employees feeling less than empowered, and unsure about their purpose at their job.
Failing to React to and Address Problems
Employees need to know that they have somebody who will listen to and rectify problems that arise. Employees can only do so much before a manager has to get involved. If the manager is unable and unwilling to solve a problem, whether they do it themselves, or go to a higher-up, employees can feel resentful at their superior’s unwillingness.
Failing to Listen to Employees
Managers can feel the need to micromanage and do everything, which makes it hard to be open to other’s ideas. Managers must listen to new ideas that can be implemented for the betterment of the company. After all, the employees are knee-deep in the day-to-day operation of many parts of the store, parts managers may not see, and know where things may need improvement, or where current ideas are not working. Ignoring employee ideas can make employees feel unappreciated and unimportant, leading to a culture of anger and animosity in the workplace.
Failing to Know Employees As People
While it’s important to keep your relationship with your employees
professional, it can hinder managers by ignoring them as people outside
of work. Getting to know small tidbits of information and asking
employees about it can make them feel valued as more than a number on
payroll. If an employee feels like their manager doesn’t care to know
anything about them outside of work, it can make it harder for employees
to approach their manager in a multitude of situations.
Good, effective management, as you can see, is an important part of any company. It’s important to remember that managers are people, too, and make mistakes just like anyone else. However, if these mistakes are continually reported within your company and your constantly losing employees, taking a look at the people you’ve chosen to be in management may help solve the problem.