When you say your boss is bad, is it possible that he just doesn’t have all the tools to perform his role well or is just not in the right chair?
If, like me, your LinkedIn is full of publications on leadership and management, you must have seen a good number of messages indicating that, most of the time, employees leave a boss they consider unfit rather than the job itself.
It is true that, when you access a managerial position, your behaviors and interpersonal skills when working with your employees, will allow the creation of either a positive or negative work place.
I believe that, when a manager finds the right ways to motivate and stimulate his team, the final result for the company becomes more important than the sum of all parts because of the synergies and impact of teamwork.
On the other hand, when you face a bad manager who cannot find a way to connect with his team, it is very likely that the results will be far below management’s expectations.
Since the end results of having a good and bad manager are so different and the impact so significant for companies, why aren’t these positions better managed or the employee better prepared for this new challenge?
Are there as many bad managers as these publications tend to make you believe?
Like most people, I’ve had a lot of different bosses in my career, and I can say that the vast majority were all highly motivated to do a good job and were good people.
However, to be a good manager, you need more than intentions and it is often when making decisions or putting plans into action that things get complicated.
Unfortunately, the bond of trust with employees is cultivated every day and takes some time to establish. Sadly, it only takes one bad action to dissipate.
AND GOOD LUCK IN RESTORE IT.
When distrust arises, efficiency instantly disappears.
There are many elements that could explain the promotion of a bad manager but, to fit with my title, the focus today will be on the promotions given to technical specialists.
These professionals perform masterfully in their project management and make the company look good. Also, as most of them are engineers who were told at university that they will lead the world (a little jab to my engineering friends coming from a Sciences graduate😊), they rarely lack confidence in themself and have received a base in management.
The problem comes from the fact that these specialists, if they want new challenges and the possibility of moving up the organizational hierarchy (with the $ that this implies) must, in the majority of cases, turn to team management.
However, managing humans is not the same as managing valves, motors and computers. There is not always a logic in a group’s series of responses to a request, which is different from machines and systems.
As these technical specialists want to progress and the companies want to thank them for their years of loyal service and avoid the chance of losing them to another organization, they receive the opportunity to manage a team. But is this the right decision for them and the company?
Why don’t organizations find ways to create series of positions in technical growth and allow their stars to continue their progression in an environment where they are more familiar?
The impact of a good project manager is major in an organization and so is the contribution of a team manager. However, the difference between a bad project manager and a bad team manager is much more important: A bad project manager will cost $ in lost income, delays, repairs, etc.
These are truly negative outcomes for the organization and possibly the shareholders/owners. But for a bad team manager, the impact is more subtle in the short and medium term but could be disastrous for the organization in the long term.
It is the supervisors and managers job to transmit messages from management to the floor employees and back the other way to ensure a good flow of information. They have also multiple responsibilities that affect the performance of all members of their teams. This are key positions and not everybody can fill these shoes.
When the message does not get through and management is not effective, it will be the good people, feeling neglected, who will be the first to leave the ship. The costs of replacing them combined with the negative effect on company culture can put the company in a big ditch for a long time…
This is why it is so important for the high management to ensure that the right people are placed in these positions.
Needing help building your leadership skills and become a better leader. Do not hesitate to contact me and I will gladly support you in your everyday challenges.
Remember: What is the impact of your mindset on your performance?
Imagine the impact on the performance of your team if all your employees would be happy
Carl Michael Tessier
Coach in high-performance team development and tailor-made support
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