Running a company is much more than going to work and bossing employees around. There’s no doubt that being promoted to a managerial position is something that many people dream of; however, it’s more challenging than it seems–especially for first-timers.
Whether it’s the lack of management skills or an inflated ego, you will find that some people are just not fit to become managers.
Today, we are going to take a look at five simple tricks to help you optimize your mind for the modern world. Here is why most business managers have no idea how to run a company.
They Have Poor Management Skills
When a manager lacks good management skills that are necessary for running a company, their poor management skills don’t just affect the company–they affect everyone and in the long term. The employees’ morale will be at an all-time low, they will be too unmotivated to be productive, and the company will start crumbling down from the bottom up.
On the other side of the spectrum, when the company is managed by a good strong leader who doesn’t hesitate to empower his employees and motivate them, the results will be 180 degrees different.
One fatal mistake that many business managers fall for does not recognize their employees’ hard work or accomplishments. The employees will feel as if their hard work is never valued by their managers and would get criticized for any shortcoming or mistake–even if it’s a rare occurrence.
Perhaps it’s ego, or the lack of communications, avoiding recognition is something that will almost always lead to miserable employees who don’t feel appreciated.
The solution to that problem is quite simple yet extremely effective. Recognizing the employees’ efforts and struggles and making them feel valued will motivate them to be better at their jobs.
And, we’re not talking about being a yes person–we’re talking about a strong leader who can give a pat on the back when deserved and constructive criticism when needed.
Good to Great
by Jim Collins
⏱ 14 minutes reading time
🎧 Audio version available
They Think Instilling Fear in Others Works
One popular misconception about running a company is that when you instill fear into their employees, the employees will work harder and more efficiently. It’s a concept so popular that it’s often portrayed in movies and TV shows.
We’re here to break it to you; threatening employees and creating a hostile environment for them screams an insecure manager.
These managers always blame the employees for any mistake and have an unapproached and stone-cold persona that makes the employees dread meeting with them. In this situation, the employees will be less trusting of everything, and their morale will be reduced. Good managers want the employees to respect them–not fear them.
They Expect Their Employees to Come To Them
It’s fair to say that when managers expect the employees to come to them to report anything negative about the company, that’s just a recipe for disaster.
Even if the manager is the most approachable and friendliest person, employees will always be reluctant to casually walk into a manager’s office when a problem arises. Good managers never wait for the employees to come to them. They’re always involved and know what’s going on in the company.
They Never Admit That They’re Wrong
This next reason has more to do with the manager’s personality more than their skill to manage employees and run a company. Nevertheless, it’s enough reason to set a company up for failure. Even outside of a work setting, when a person never admits their wrongdoings, that’s a huge red flag.
While it’s a fact that a charismatic and charming personality goes a long way, overusing these two traits to get themselves out of trouble and never holding themselves accountable for any mistake is a bit extreme.
And yes, it’s true that employees might overlook that if it happens once or twice–but if it’s something that happens regularly, it’s highly likely that they will stop trusting and respecting them.
Unlike what many people think, when managers take responsibility for their actions, they will not lose their credibility if that action had tremendous or bad results. No one is perfect–in fact, we are far from it. Admitting that you’re a human who makes mistakes doesn’t make you weak. It’s quite the opposite of that.
They Are Inexperienced
Often, managers find themselves in a managerial position that they’ve never been in before. Perhaps they got promoted for their hard work, or the previous manager lost his job for unknown reasons.
The bottom line is, the new manager is now put in a position while having no experience whatsoever. If the company ceases to invest in training new managers and employees–now that’s setting the company for failure.
New and inexperienced managers tend to do exactly copying the previous managers, and they become a carbon copy of someone who once was in the same managerial position. And, who can blame them? When you know nothing about a situation you are in, the first instinct that comes to you will probably be emulating the behavior of someone who was in the same position.
Another common mistake they fall for is religiously following training courses or management books they’ve stumbled upon on the internet. Sometimes, these books set the expectations too high and are far from realistic. They’re packed with tips and information that seem great on paper; however, when they’re applied in real life, they will do more harm than good.
Being a good manager takes time, especially if the person has never been in such a position before. Instead of imitating other managers, taking time to find what’s right for you and the company and what fits your style will propel you to become a successful manager.
They Think All the Job is to Suck up to Higher Management
When a manager lacks in the confidence department, they always have the instinct to suck up to the upper management, thinking that that’s the way to success—always agreeing with the upper management, even if they know that they’re completely in the wrong, and never having an opinion of their own–that’s asking the employees to lose respect for you.
It reaches a point where they never want to act against popular opinion, even if they know that it will hurt the company in the long term. They never stand up for what they believe in, and as long as the opinion or decision came from the highest person in the hierarchy, it’s correct.
That behavior is never acceptable in any setting, let alone in a managerial position. A level headed manager knows what’s best for the company and isn’t afraid to disagree with the upper management. They go against the grain if they know it’s beneficial for the company and don’t just blindly follow opinions without thinking them through.
Related: Management Versus Leadership – Understanding the Difference Between the Two
They Never Take Risks
Although it might not seem like it, taking risks is a crucial part of any business. By taking risks, we don’t mean taking a blind decision, fully knowing that it will harm everyone involved, and expect a miracle to happen out of nowhere. When it comes to businesses, taking a risk is more of carefully planning and having realistic expectations.
It’s true that no matter how much planning you do, the results are always unpredictable. However, that shouldn’t scare you away from taking risks because, if you don’t, you might end up missing out on an opportunity that could have otherwise been life-changing. Some risks will not have great results, and that’s a reality.
Nevertheless, a great manager will see those failures as an opportunity to learn, and they will move forward instead of dwelling in the past.
They Hate Their Job
No one said that being a manager is an easy peasy job. What a lot of people don’t realize is that reality is the opposite of that. You never know when life will throw you a curveball that will ultimately destroy everything you had planned. When that happens, the most important thing is to find ways you can overcome the obstacles in your way and rise above them.
When managers hate their jobs, they will give up at every possible opportunity. They don’t have it in them to keep going because who would want to fight for something that they hate? Their negative behavior and attitude will spread to the employees, and eventually, you’ll have a company packed full of people who are unhappy and dread being there.
They’re Only in for the Money
You might even be surprised to discover that they’re in for the money. They don’t care about the company, nor the employees. All they care about is the dollar signs.
They don’t care if their motivation and happiness are on the line, and they also don’t care if the company is growing or failing. They’re just waiting to cash out their next paycheck, rinse and repeat. They will hide from any problem that arises and will do everything in their willpower to remain in their position.
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