Some twenty years ago, the management of any institution was carried out according to strict canons that had developed over decades of life in the Soviet Union, and any employee was afraid of a reprimand from the boss or dismissal from work.
During the formation market relations in our country, the forms of interaction between managers and subordinates have also changed, and now any leader in without fail exploring ways effective management staff.
Today, when fierce competition reigns in the labor market, when young people, having received education in their own country, prefer to work abroad, it is competent personnel management that will allow any leader or personnel manager to create a close-knit and friendly team in his institution. The main thing is not to make some mistakes, which will be discussed later.
1. Mistakes in personnel management
Human resource management can be safely called not just a science, but an art. There are leaders who ensure that employees are not only happy to come to work, but are also ready to continue working even overtime, on weekends and holidays.
Such selflessness, of course, cannot arise from scratch - it is the result of systematic work on the creation of a team, or, as they say now, a team. The same managers whose employees perceive work as hard labor are likely to make the following mistakes:
The indifference of the management to their team
Most directors of large enterprises are sure that ready-made employees with the required level of qualification can be easily and in the right quantity at their disposal using any recruitment agency. However, newly arrived specialists are faced with the specifics of work and do not stay long. This leads to a high turnover of staff, respectively, to high costs.
Working conditions at the enterprise
On most municipal enterprises and institutions, of course, conditions are being created with social guarantees, medical care, providing spa treatment and other opportunities, but wage in such institutions is still inferior to commercial firms.
Another disadvantage of budgetary organizations, in which the management does not think too much about subordinates, is a weak material and technical base. Sometimes there are not enough computers or duplicating equipment, not everywhere there is access to the Internet. And what can we say about the presence of air conditioners in the hot season?
Lack of career advancement prospects
Often in many budget organizations the decades-old system of career advancement is used, which takes into account only length of service and work experience.
It turns out that promotion is impossible to get during the first 5-10 years of work. This scares off novice specialists, and they prefer to self-actualize in commercial organizations where a career is made thanks to activity, initiative and high-quality performance of the tasks assigned to them.
2. Mistakes in recruitment
If the company often changes employees, that is, there is a so-called turnover, perhaps this is due to the following mistakes in recruitment:
Spontaneous recruitment
Sometimes an announcement about vacant position is not accompanied by any specific requirements, which leads to a large number of applicants. The reasoning in this case is quite simple: "They will get used to it, they will figure it out, and those who cannot, will leave on their own." This is a fundamentally wrong position and leads to turnover, because people cannot understand what is required of them, and they are looking for an organization with more understandable functionality, and sometimes even go to competitors.
Lack of a unified selection strategy.
Sometimes, when recruiting employees, they do not take into account how the candidacy corresponds to corporate ethics, as well as the goals and objectives of a particular organization. As a result, not everyone subsequently accepts the overall strategy of the company in which they begin to work, and they have a hard time.
And if the requirements and standards change haphazardly, only depending on the desire of the boss, work becomes unbearable. Therefore, it is important, when a candidate is hired, to dedicate him to the company's development plans, its strategy and the most important principles, so that later there will be no disagreements.
Inadequate assessment of the candidate
How often, completely in Russian tradition, either unreasonably high demands are made on candidates, or they take anyone who does not come. Discrimination can be used appearance(for example, only girls under 25 years old, with a model appearance, with a certain height, etc.).
Overestimated or underestimated requirements for the candidate
When hiring an employee for a specific position, it is important to consider the availability of experience. It is hardly possible to hire a person without work experience in this status to a responsible post. This mistake can cost the company dearly. As a last resort, make an internship for him, attach him to a mentor, and even then give important and responsible assignments.
Sometimes the opposite happens. During the interview were presented high requirements, but in reality it turns out that a new person in his position deals with some trifling problems and loses already acquired skills, losing interest in the business and in the organization in which he got a job.
Candidate Misinformation
Leadership error manifests itself here in different ways. This may be the intentional concealment of information about the full range of responsibilities or about the system of rewards and punishments that exists in this organization.
This can be a delay in obtaining the results of the interview, when, under various pretexts (the manager is away, he is not in place, a business trip, etc.), the applicant for this position cannot receive either a positive or a negative answer.
In any case, it may turn out that the employee will very quickly feel disappointed and leave this organization, and the manager, deceived in expectations, will not see the fruitful results of the activities of his new employee.
3. Most Common HR Mistakes
* incorrect setting of tasks or advancement of incomprehensible requirements;
* loss of control over the actions of subordinates;
* violation of subordination, that is, communication in an informal setting, which leads to the loss of the authority of the leader;
* insufficient recognition of the merits of subordinates to the organization (especially the oldest workers);
* negative attitude towards their subordinates.
Enterprise management
What is the reason for the popularity of the principle of condoning theft? In its low cost. Often this approach, in addition to paying attention to your subordinates, does not require additional management actions and costs. The fact that the employee receives the left income can be found out without resorting to special means, for example, pay attention to the prices at which materials are purchased for the enterprise or to the fact that an employee is not ready to be transferred to a simpler position for a higher salary. And then you need not control action, but inaction ... The popularity of the method was also affected by management errors made at different enterprises. If the manager of a certain link is not given the necessary control levers and he cannot adequately encourage or punish his employees. Someone motivates people to work with their authority, someone himself plows day and night, and many in such a situation, as a lever of motivation, allow some theft by subordinates.
In large enterprises and with complex management schemes, there is a paradox of subordination, when the boss who allowed such behavior for his subordinates for the good of the cause himself falls under suspicion as a result. And the presence of permission to use this technique in the form of an order on paper contradicts the basic principle of Indulgence Management: informality. It turns out that the method is effective at the top level of management, where the director of the enterprise (or better, the founder) knows all the responsible employees by sight and personally keeps them under control. Effectively Indulgence Management is used in small and medium-sized enterprises - where the top level of management is the only significant one. Large enterprises ready to spend money on optimizing business processes and implementing ERP systems. Small businesses don't have that kind of money.
The technique is often used when opening regional branches. In many regions, theft is so ingrained that it is pointless to try to eliminate it. It's already a mentality. He is also curable. Profound changes in society over the years are changing the behavior of people and their attitude to work. But we have no task to change the mentality of the region. It is required to create a branch of the enterprise that makes a profit and take a market share. We create a business structure and hire specialists. At first, the branch operates at a loss. We put things in order and eliminate loopholes for theft. The branch of the enterprise begins to make a profit. As soon as we close the last opportunity to receive leftist income (especially for the management of the branch), the branch completely freezes. We will use at least all the levers of control: we will fire everyone and hire others, raise salaries, and introduce reasonable motivation schemes. Nothing will change.
Conclusion: Of course, managing a team is not the easiest and not the most rewarding duty. However, the fulfillment of simple conditions will help to build good relations with subordinates.
Firstly, a unified policy in the field of selecting goals and the task of the company: it is important that each employee understands the prospects for the development of the organization and does everything possible for this.
Secondly, for the selection of personnel, it is better to have a special specialist who knows the necessary methods and is well versed in people.
Thirdly, the attitude towards subordinates must be loyal: do not allow yourself familiarity in relations with the staff, but do not put yourself above everyone else. Employees should know their boss by sight and know how to personally contact him if necessary.
In conclusion, it should be added that any organization that cares about its employees, creating for them the necessary conditions work that develops their creative potential, respecting corporate ethics, will always win, because the employees of such a company, firm, such an enterprise will appreciate the care of them and respond with diligence and diligence.
You will learn:
- What are the causes of managerial errors.
- What types of management errors can be divided into.
- How to correct the consequences of managerial errors.
We analyze the most popular species managerial errors and ways to solve them.
Main Causes of Management Errors
Errors in management decisions are often found in the practice of managers. Most often they are associated with the distribution of responsibilities, interaction with subordinates and strategic actions aimed at achieving long-term goals of the company. Consider popular examples of managerial errors.
Wrongly formulated goals
Clear goal setting is the basis of well-coordinated work. The goals of the company should be formulated both at the global and local levels. Managers must understand the goals not only for the current project, but also strategic goals for subsequent periods. Specifying goals at all levels will create a solid structure of interaction that will be understandable and accessible to employees and focused on results.
Wrongly assigned tasks
Major mistakes in management activities are in the wrong formulation of tasks. Without clearly defined task it is difficult to hope for a good result. The ability to formulate leads to a more coordinated work of all subordinates who do not need to guess what exactly needs to be done to achieve a mythical result. Seeing the whole picture is the task of the leader, it is on his shoulders that the responsibility lies to ensure that his subordinates complete this picture with their actions.
Wrong communication
The inability to interact with your employees, excessive nervousness, aggression and the desire to crush with authority rarely lead to good results. A competent leader understands not only the field of his activity, but also the psychology of his subordinates, setting them the tasks that they can perform, and solving problems relevant to this employee way.
Criticism of management in front of employees
Different levels of leadership create different potential situations for interaction. Including the negative ones. Often, senior management has a habit of criticizing senior management in front of everyone, including their direct reports. This undermines the authority, negatively affects the climate in the team, indicates incompetence and provokes the wrong line of behavior among employees.
Inattention to one's own actions
The unwillingness to understand the causes of errors leads not only to staff turnover and negative team, but also to the repetition of the same failures. Many bosses do not seek to look for the causes of errors in their actions, and consider personnel management a secondary discipline, relying solely on their own authority.
Reassessment of employee loyalty
Often, managers treat all employees unequally, highlighting the circle of closest friends or the most loyal employees over the rest of the mass of employees. Often such a mistake leads to insufficient competence of employees, and sometimes managers. Should always come first professional quality and skills rather than personal affection and disposition.
Emotionality in decision making
Whatever the temperament of the chief, to make decisions he must with a cool head and common sense. In a state of emotional irritation, it is difficult to analyze data, make informed decisions and respond to annoying factors. As a result, the leader may behave unprofessionally by raising his voice or insulting the interlocutor, which may be a partner or subordinate. The inability to control oneself negatively affects the reputation of the leader, reduces his authority in the eyes of subordinates.
9 mistakes of managers in managing subordinates
Directors regularly sacrifice subordination in their relations with the staff for the sake of dubious achievements. In an e-journal article CEO» identified 9 mistakes in the actions of managers that violate the invisible boundaries between them and their subordinates.
Types of managerial errors of leaders
All existing mistakes of managers can be divided into several categories, each of them occurs with different frequency depending on experience, professionalism and conditions. Consider popular groups of errors in acceptance management decisions by category.
Natural errors:
- In forecasting, evaluation competitive organizations, consumer demand.
- In understanding the current situation in the company, the competencies of employees.
- In the level and quality of the product produced by the enterprise.
- The consequences of previous actions, ignoring certain factors that may influence the further development of events.
Mistakes made as a result of prejudice:
- Refusal of approval at certain stages.
- Non-acceptance of new, more progressive forms of government.
- Striving for perfectionism that harms the current situation.
- Refusal of modern innovations that can significantly facilitate or speed up the implementation of decisions.
- Prejudice about various management technologies, approaches to employee motivation, work with personnel.
- Ignoring strategic goals and long-term solutions.
- Incorrect assessment of the talents and potential of employees.
- Distrust of delegating own responsibilities.
Mistakes made due to lack of knowledge:
- Gaps in information about the organizational and structural development of companies.
- Lack of information on the formulation of job descriptions.
- Lack or lack of knowledge about modern motivational systems .
- Inability to analyze information.
- Lack of knowledge of modern enterprise management technologies.
Errors related to the lack of the following skills:
- Good formulation of goals.
- Interactions with employees at various levels.
- Calculating the consequences of actions taken.
- Multivariate forecasting and strategic planning.
- Ensuring the implementation of decisions made at various levels.
- Engaging the individual abilities of each employee, taking into account his characteristics to achieve the most effective results.
Tendencies to certain dysfunctions:
- Egocentrism and fixing problems on one's own person.
- Emphasizing mistakes and shortcomings instead of positive moments in the work.
- The desire for sole control and complete awareness of everything that happens in the organization.
- Irrational distribution of responsibilities among subordinates.
- The desire to destroy the working discipline and work schedule.
- Setting unrealistic deadlines, inability to rationally plan time.
- propensity to manipulate.
- Permanent haste and inattention to details.
Managerial illusions:
- Confidence in one's own skills and abilities, ignoring various factors proving the opposite, not taking into account one's own errors and mistakes.
- The conviction that the cause of all shortcomings is the exceptionally low discipline of lower-level employees and their lack of competence.
- Emphasis on material motivation without taking into account the individual characteristics of each employee, unwillingness to delve into the issue of motivation.
Comprehensive prevention of managerial errors
Managerial errors of leaders can be significantly reduced if their cause is identified. To prevent and manage this aspect, you can use A complex approach, which combines various approaches to regulation and prevention of the main mistakes of managers.
Conclusion
The main managerial mistakes are most often associated with a lack of knowledge and skills in the field of personnel management - many bosses do not know how to delegate, distribute responsibilities and are not particularly eager to implement modern technologies into a fixed rhythm. There are other types of managerial errors, they are associated with personal qualities: emotionality, egocentrism, etc.
The first step in correcting an error and preventing its recurrence is to recognize the defect, as well as to develop measures to eliminate and prevent it. To do this, there are various methods and technologies that will significantly improve management skills and bring the company to a qualitatively new level.
Many managers lack fundamental skills in personnel management. But more importantly, they lack the values, sensitivity, and knowledge needed to interact with people all day long.
Management skills and techniques are easy to learn, but values, beliefs, and attitudes are much harder to teach, and much harder for managers to learn. However, there are basic components that will determine the success of a manager.
How important is it to help your managers be successful? Extremely. Managers themselves and how they treat their subordinates set the tone for the entire organization. Leaders are the face of your business.
Most information about your company leaks through managers. When employees leave, the main reason they leave is their relationship with management. People leave managers, not their jobs or companies.
Choose managers to manage people
The job description for the position of manager should indicate the main functional responsibilities, qualities and abilities of the candidate. Based on this list, choose a manager who has both the managerial skills and the mental and cultural qualities you need. In the process of selection and identification of cultural fit, the applicant must demonstrate the beliefs, values and work style that are relevant to your company.
In a people-centric, forward-looking organization, you certainly want a manager who meets these characteristics.
- Values its staff
- Believes in two-way, frequent and effective communication and mutual "listening"
- Wants to create an environment where employees are empowered to take responsibility for their work
- Organizes the accountability and responsibility of personnel in such a way as not to apply penalties
- Demonstrates leadership and clear direction
- Believes in teamwork
- Puts the customer at the forefront of your company's operations and treats staff as its customers.
Mistakes managers make
By doing all of the above, preventing management mistakes and stupid decisions, you will create a truly successful company.
So would you like to be the best manager? Next, we will look at managerial mistakes that need to be addressed, prevented and avoided.
1) Unwillingness to know your employees
Developing relationships with employees is key factor in management. You don't want to be a divorce counselor or a psychotherapist for your employees, but you do want to know what's going on in their lives. When you know where your subordinate is going on holiday or that his children are playing football, you show a healthy interest in the lives of your employees.
Being aware that, for example, someone's dog has died, expressing sympathy for it, or, for example, knowing that someone's daughter won the coveted prize at school will make you a concerned leader. Know that your employees can make you a better manager who will be more responsive to the needs, moods and life events of each employee.
2) Lack of clear work priorities
Managers cannot create clear performance standards and explain to people what is expected of them, so that the latter know what they should do and not be surprised why they failed the task. If you make every task a priority, then people will soon assume that there are no priorities. And more importantly, they will never feel as if they have achieved the completion of a task or a set goal.
If you are too inflexible or too flexible in your work and decision making, employees will feel out of control. You need to achieve a balance that allows you to lead and set the direction without pressure and disempowerment of employees, without undermining the involvement of the staff.
3) Mistrust
When managers do not trust people and do not allow them to do their work themselves, this can lead to a number of problems. negative consequences. A meticulous leadership style in which the boss controls every step of his subordinates is one such example. Constant checks are another such example. It is fundamentally wrong to treat people as if they are not trustworthy: observe them, monitor their actions, reprimand them for every minor mistake, just because you think they are not trustworthy. Remember the old life principle - people do not always live up to your expectations.
4) Unwillingness to listen to their subordinates and confirm the value of their opinion
Active listening is an essential skill for all leaders. You can train managers to listen to their subordinates. But if the manager believes that this is a way to demonstrate that he or she appreciates people, then training is usually not required.
When you take the time to listen to your employees, you actually show your recognition and value of the person to the company.
When employees feel they are being listened to and heard, they feel important to the organization. You will have much more information if your doors are opened daily to your subordinates.
5) Making a decision before collecting feedback on the current situation from subordinates
You can fool some people. But your best employees will soon understand your actions and decide to leave the team. Likewise, many managers create a hierarchical system of coordination of actions and other obstacles that will soon let people know that their ideas can be vetoed. Subsequently, such leaders wonder why no one has any suggestions for improving the company's performance. Empowering people to make decisions about their work is central to employee empowerment and the “soul” of employee engagement. Don't stifle their initiative.
6) Lack of response to emerging problems and issues that will only get worse if ignored
Managers tend to hope that awkward question, employee conflict or disagreements that arise will simply disappear if they are not provoked or attempted to be resolved. Trust me this won't happen.
Problems, especially among humans, will only get worse if there is any change in the situation. Active intervention by the manager, coach and mentor to ensure that employees have the skills needed to deal with conflicts is imperative. Drama and tantrums reduce productivity, motivation and employee engagement.
7) Attempt to befriend subordinates
You can have warm and close relationships with the people you manage. But, it will not be easy for you to separate friendship and working relationship. You can not do without friendly gossip, joint entertainment in your spare time and complaints about work and boss. There is no place in this list for the relationship of a leader and a subordinate.
8) Lack of ability to communicate effectively with subordinates without withholding sensitive information
The best communication is open communication. Of course, some information is confidential. You may certainly have been asked to keep certain information confidential for a period of time, but in all other cases, share what you know with the staff.
Being part of a team is the goal of most employees, because it is she who has the information necessary to make decisions. right decisions. Also ask your staff to give you feedback. Ask people for their views, ideas, as well as their suggestions for continuous improvement, and if you are not able to implement their ideas, let them know why, or let them implement their suggestions themselves.
9) Unequal treatment of employees
You don't have to treat every employee the same, but they do need to feel treated equally. The knowledge that you have "favourites" or that you are showing favor to someone undermines your efforts to manage people.
This also echoes why befriending subordinates is a bad idea. Employees who are not in your inner inner circle will always believe that you are helping those employees who are in it, regardless of whether this is actually the case or not. This realization will destroy teamwork and reduce productivity.
10) Shifting responsibility to subordinates in the name of one's own salvation
When it comes to communicating with top management many managers, instead of taking responsibility for problems in the areas they manage, blame specific employees for this. If you know that the ultimate responsibility lies with you, since you are the boss, why not stand up and protect your employees? By blaming employees, you look like an idiot and your staff will be hated and not respected.
Trust me they will find out what you did and they will never trust you again. They will always expect a trick from you. And even worse, they will tell all their colleagues they know about how you did it. Other employees will also lose trust.
Your senior managers will not respect you. They will question your ability to do your job and lead a team. When you set up your subordinates, you are putting your career in jeopardy - not theirs. And this act will not remove an iota of guilt from your shoulders.
Susan M. Heathfield.
The translation was prepared by Natalia Labutina.
If you want to make your management style more effective, here are some worthwhile practical tips.
Typical managerial mistakes and how to eliminate them
, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy, Leading Researcher Kajaani Center, University of Oulu, Finland
There is no doubt that a strong (dominant, creative, confident, purposeful) personality is an indispensable condition for the professional success of a leader. The formation of the qualities of a strong personality is one of the mandatory conditions manager's work on himself. But what is the relationship between a “strong personality” and a “strong leader”? You can be a strong person and not be a strong leader, but strong leaders tend to be strong personalities. The problem, therefore, is that the manager should include in his work on himself the development of purely managerial qualities.
Where does work on yourself begin?
Where does work on yourself begin? First, with awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, secondly, from overcoming some stereotypes of consciousness that prevent building effective relationships with people and blocking opportunities for one's own development, for a creative attitude to the profession and life. Consider the main features of a strong and weak leader as they are presented in modern research. So,
The main qualities of a good, "strong" leader |
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Has a high resistance to frustration, that is, to conditions that arise when faced with obstacles that seem insurmountable |
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Can communicate with people |
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Able to give up his point of view if subordinates prove that it is suboptimal |
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Discusses his qualities, accepts criticism, but at the same time maintains self-confidence |
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Restrained accepts both victory and defeat |
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Loses without a sense of defeat, immediately taking on new problems |
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Energetic |
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Competent in management problems |
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Likes to manage, organize business |
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Able to accommodate |
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Sees change both inside and outside the organization |
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Ready for change and ready to start |
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Able to take responsibility for decisions |
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Knows how to use his time productively |
Some of these signs are directly related to personal qualities, come from them (resistance, sociability, endurance, self-confidence, etc.). And others (the ability to see changes, competence, the ability to use time, etc.) are purely managerial, the development of which requires special efforts. Some of these qualities, such as competence in managerial problems, are acquired in the process of special training. Thus, a strong personality and a strong leader are close, but not identical, phenomena. In order to organize the work of the team to achieve the set goals, force alone, even the force of coercion, is clearly not enough.
Management - specific activity
Management is a specific activity that imposes specific requirements on a person. For example, in the General Motors Corporation they are:
1. Competence. Every manager needs to know what to do and how to do their job in the best possible way. This, of course, does not exclude the fact that everyone works in his own unique manner. Competence is cultivated in a rather original way - based on the idea that a leader cannot afford to learn from own mistakes. Management knowledge can be obtained either as a result of special training, or as a result of a careful analysis of the mistakes of others and one's own experience.
2. Dignity and responsibility. The requirement to approach all matters with dignity and responsibility is more than just business ethics. Each leader knows for sure: for what work and according to what criteria he bears absolute responsibility. This responsibility can never, under any circumstances, be transferred to someone else (subordinate), even in cases where the manager is not at the workplace. Hence the dignity, because it is determined by a permanent circle of responsibility.
3. A sense of the new and the ability to take risks. A sense of the new develops as a result of constant change, improvement in the ways of performing old, standard tasks. The feeling of the new is a steady result of the constant search for the new, which, of course, involves risk. This is encouraged in the activities of every leader. But it is not just the desire and ability to take risks that is important - the ability to take risks is important. A leader who knows how to take risks:
Ready to effectively use all the resources available to him;
Ready for risk;
Able to plan their actions (planning does not eliminate risk, rather the opposite: good planning arms those who are able to take risks).
4. Sensitivity and mobility. Feeling what is happening, the main trends in the development of business and subordinates, in a timely manner to capture the mood of people, their needs, needs - it also means that you also respect the opinions of others (having your own), and be ready for changes. This quality is cultivated by encouraging new ideas, strategic decisions at any level of subordination. Anticipating a problem allows you to deal with it long before it gets in the way. full height. As a result, both time and money are saved.
5. High performance. Efficiency is not only the ability to work for a long time and with high quality. This is the ability to optimally organize your work, which is measured by the number of important issues to be resolved per unit of time. This is patience, without which long hard work is impossible.
Even this cursory review of managerial requirements shows that a strong personality cannot always be a strong leader. The specifics of managerial activity is such that it is extremely important what and where the force is directed. At General Motors, these requirements apply to leaders of any rank. Equally stimulated is the fact that all leaders make these demands themselves. But it is hardly possible to imagine a manager equally possessing all of the listed qualities. This is more of an ideal to strive for. In reality, each leader seeks and finds his own style, his own combination personal qualities, managerial abilities and skills. And it is unlikely that there will be at least one that “100%” meets these requirements. At the same time, any leader "at 100" should not correspond to the characteristics of a weak manager. Knowing what not to be is the first step to finding your own way and your own style in management.
Typical traits of a weak leader
What are generally recognized typical features of a weak (bad) leader?
Weak Leader:
Always faced with a mass of unexpected, unforeseen circumstances, spending a huge amount of time and effort to eliminate them. “Here you are!”, “All of us are not thankful to God!”, “Where it’s thin, it breaks there,” - one way or something like this one can characterize the usual troubles that haunt him daily, or even hourly. Because, firstly, he cannot predict, feel the approach of problems and prepare for their appearance in advance. Secondly, all the time he is constantly occupied with secondary issues, losing sight of the main thing - strategic tasks, which, if left to their own devices, give rise to these most unfortunate "unforeseen circumstances".
I am convinced that he knows the business and knows how to do it best, so he tries to do everything himself. This is based on a misunderstanding of at least two of the most important axioms of management, namely: daily the leader must solve much more tasks than he is physically capable of. Therefore, a professional distributes some of the tasks among his subordinates, delegating to them also the appropriate powers. He just has to do it and knows well how to do it right; many employees know their business as well as better than the boss. Whoever produces does not govern; who governs does not produce. The business of the leader is to manage, that is, to produce something with the hands of other people, and not with their own. A professional manager organizes people for work and knows how to do it as efficiently as possible.
He tries to delve into everything, so he practically does not have time. Often proud of their employment. Receiving visitors, at the same time talking on the phone, signing the order
and gives verbal orders to subordinates. If this style of work is not an imitation of vigorous activity (which, of course, there is), I would call it the principle of Julius Caesar. As you know, this Roman emperor was famous for his ability to do several things at the same time. I still think that for modern leader it's not the best best example for imitation - after all, Julius Caesar ended badly, and in this sense no one can be an exception.
Heaps papers on the desk. At the same time, it is completely unclear which of them are important, which are urgent, and which are not needed at all. With such an “order” on the desktop, the manager not only often cannot find the one he needs in this moment official document, but also demonstrates to others - primarily employees - the inability or unwillingness to organize their work, to set priorities in business.
Open from early morning to late evening, sometimes even at night. It often looks like a person loaded to the limit, "not giving a descent either to himself or to his subordinates." Such a leader causes nothing but regret. Why? Because it clearly ignores some of the basic commandments of effective management, namely:
Each task takes all the time that is allotted for its implementation;
Working longer than 8 hours is extremely unproductive, and too high a price is paid for it.
His briefcase is "bloated" with the papers he carries home and back from work.. The only real benefit of this activity is that carrying a briefcase can, in a sense, replace physical exercise. (So, the famous Russian wrestler Ivan Poddubny walked with a pound cane to keep fit.) A folder for papers, a light diplomat - that's what you need to strive for.
The decision of any, and even more important, issue tries to postpone. I hope that the issue will either be resolved by itself, or someone else will solve it. If he takes on a problem, he never solves it to the end. As a result, the burden of unresolved problems weighs more and more on him, forcing him to make managerial mistakes.
Possesses "black and white" thinking. He sees everything only in white and only in black, his assessments are always unambiguous, categorical, have no shades. This leads to the fact that he loses the opportunity for compromise. "Hit or miss!" not the best motto for a leader.
Gives too much importance to random, insignificant details not being able to distinguish the main from the secondary, the important from the unimportant, the essential from the unimportant. Inflates details, tends to "make an elephant out of a fly."
Tries to make the best decision instead of the feasible one. And he forgets that not a single decision, especially a managerial one, can suit absolutely everyone, absolutely everyone likes it. The art of management, among other things, also consists in choosing a solution not from a variety of possible (ideal) ones, but from really available, really feasible ones. Maximum effective solution with minimal infringement of interests - the main landmark of the modern manager.
Desires to have a reputation as a good leader and does so in an original way: either familiarizes with subordinates (the shirt-guy variant), or uses the principle open doors when anyone wants to come to his office, when he wants and on any issue.
Seeks to avoid responsibility, tends to blame others, in short, looking for a "scapegoat".
Takes credit for the success of his team and individual employees , following the principle "their success would not have been possible without my sensitive guidance."
A weak leader reveals his weakness despite his formidable appearance, because he makes many managerial mistakes, sometimes elementary ones. Let's consider some of them.
Seven Common Management Mistakes and How to Eliminate Them
Postponing the decision to tomorrow, indefinitely, postponing.
This error could be based on:
The hope that the issue will somehow be resolved by itself or that someone else will solve it;
Lack of a clear and precise idea of what the leader actually wants to achieve.
There are some real reasons for procrastination as a problem-solving method. They say after all, if the problem is not solved, then after a while it will be solved by itself. But there is another thing to remember: small problems, if left unresolved, tend to turn into big ones.
What should I do to fix this error? Psychologists recommend several ways, depending on the causes that cause it.
If the manager does not have a clear understanding of his goals and an idea of what he wants, then the following actions help well:
Written formulation of immediate tasks;
Discussion of the problem with the nearest employees;
Establishing strict deadlines for solving the problem;
Dividing the task into parts and its phased solution.
If postponing is associated with self-doubt, indecision and fear, then you can use the recommendations of the American researcher Norman Peel. It is necessary to single out the component in the task that is most “annoying” and overcome it. To do this, do the following:
Ask yourself: "What should be my first step?" In this question lies the "energy of motion";
Imagine vividly, in detail, in pictures, what will happen if you delay, pull, and name these consequences aloud. It acts like a whip;
Remember that if people waited or collected all the information and resources needed for a case, then 80% of the cases would not be done. You need to start, and everything that is missing will appear on the way to the goal. Even if you think that you are 100% ready to work, then once you start, it will become clear that this is not the case.
Arrange the order of tasks according to their importance. Focus on one problem and work on it until it's solved, then move on to the next.
Set deadlines and let them know, ask someone to monitor your progress towards the deadline.
Do the hardest part of the job first. Otherwise, the most difficult work will remain for the time when fatigue accumulates.
To start a business, it is enough that the initial details and the final goal are clear.
Doing the job halfway. Psychologists recommend doing only those things that you can solve today. If the task is too voluminous and complex, then it should be divided into parts so that one of them can be solved in its entirety every day. This will be much more beneficial for both activity and your nervous system.
Trying to do everything at once. It is possible to move on to solving a new problem only when the previous one has already been solved, or at least a clear idea of the nature of the solution and who will solve it has been obtained. The task of the manager is to create conditions for the effective functioning of the system, and not to take part in all the details or in the elimination of every malfunction.
The desire to do everything yourself. The manager's job is to manage, not to produce. Professional managers say: "The team is engaged in the development of production, the head - the development of the team." A manager who works effectively deals only with those tasks that no one but him can solve.
The belief that the leader knows everything best. You can't be competent in everything. What is the point in trying to know the work of subordinates better than they know it themselves? Everyone must do their job. If you are faced with a new, non-standard task, then you MUST, discarding false shame, turn to colleagues for help. Authority will not suffer from this.
Failure to differentiate powers. One of the main troubles of the organization is the lack of a clear delineation of tasks and service functions of employees. It often happens that employees know their job responsibilities only in general terms. This leads to the fact that there are temptations to transfer responsibility for the failure to perform work on someone else's shoulders and unjustifiably duplicate managerial actions. To avoid these troubles, it is necessary to clearly define the scope of duties and responsibilities of each employee, create clear and unambiguous job descriptions.
Blaming others. Finding a scapegoat is completely unproductive. At the same time, your energy is directed to the past, although nothing can be corrected. It is much more productive to focus activities on the future. The task of the leader is to establish the objective causes of failure and find ways to eliminate them, and not to look for a "scapegoat".
I would like to end my discussion of typical managerial mistakes with the following question. Why, in spite of their obviousness, in spite of enough simple ways eliminate them, do these errors still occur? Maybe there is something that, contrary to the evidence, makes a person act in a not the best way? There really is such a thing. But more on that in the next article.
© Principal №8, 2010
Everyone knows that many problems arise because of innuendo. Thousands of conflicts could be resolved in a short conversation. But instead, silence multiplied by silence. Hence anxiety, uncertainty, conjecture, rumors and conjectures. It would seem that there is nothing difficult in trite question"How are you?". It’s harder to move on once you know what’s behind the formulaic “OK!” response. or "Great!"
Weight major employers perfectly build business processes, while losing the possibility of personal communication with employees.
This is quite understandable. When you are two or three people, you breathe the same air. When suddenly you grow into a giant corporation, and you have hundreds and thousands of employees around the world, it is physically impossible to say hello to every colleague. Assess his emotional state even more so. But even in this bulky design there is always a place for a heart-to-heart talk. There would be a desire, but there will be resources and tools.
Solution. Feel free to ask the opinions of employees on completely different issues. Today, there are a lot of online services that allow you to conduct employee surveys. Also, make it a rule to regularly have informal conversations with colleagues who are outside the orbit of your immediate interests. Among other things, it will also expand your horizons.
For example, I made it a rule not to dine alone. Whenever possible, I try to schedule informal meetings with ordinary employees of the company from different departments. At first, people were wary of my dinner invitations. But after a couple of meetings, having made sure that this was not a “call on the mat”, they began to react quite calmly to them.
Mistake 2. Indifference
“Do not ask what the Motherland has done for you, ask yourself what you have done for it!” - this popular quote from John F. Kennedy could characterize this item. This story is about small cogs in big machines. Do you know what is one of the most frequently cited reasons for leaving employees? My manager never said "thank you" to me.
In addition to gratitude, people suffer from the lack of any additional.
Some mistakenly believe that a regular salary is the only incentive for the development of people. Of course, it is foolish to deny the importance of material bonuses, but it is doubly reckless not to use additional tools.
Moreover, they often do not require huge financial injections.
Solution. Consider an additional non-monetary reward system. Feel free to thank people if they deserve it. Informal meetings with the team also sometimes work wonders. Even an elementary cake from colleagues for the birthday of an employee can create a small miracle. It is important to give employees the opportunity to feel their importance and weight. The more positive emotions and informal ties with the team, the more difficult it is to break them and write a letter of resignation.
For example, we try to corporate events involving family members of employees. This helps our loved ones to feel their belonging to the team, and for employees it is an opportunity to feel the importance for the company. We also have quarterly meetings between the team and management. Usually this is an informal conversation about the results, plans and tasks for the next period. In addition, we conduct employee surveys on any significant decisions for the company. openness and team spirit is the foundation of our corporate culture.
Mistake 3. Pressure
Probably the reason for this mistake lies in our Soviet past. Then, when it was: “1. The boss is always right! and 2. If the boss is wrong, see point #1.”
Constant pressure on subordinates, regardless of their official duties, sooner or later provokes stress. Why is this happening? There can be many reasons.
Somewhere the manager got fixated on micromanagement, not letting his subordinates breathe. Somewhere, wanting to show his superiority and significance, he gave an overly critical assessment of the work done by the staff. One way or another, at the end we have a deeply frustrated employee with the only thought of how to get out of this oppression. The only solution that seems right is to rush to the exit. Your task is to dissuade him from this bright thought in time.
Solution. Nobody is free from mistakes. Managers are not born. However, this does not mean that basic skills cannot be taught. Spend time explaining basic management principles to abusive leaders. Employees need space for self-realization.
Also, tell your colleagues about the right to make mistakes. It happens that circumstances develop in such a way that fails are inevitable. Your losses are the payment for the wisdom and experience of an employee in the future. Another thing is if the same errors occur over and over again. In this case, your softness and indecision can be misinterpreted. We must act decisively!
Mistake 4. Irresponsibility
Today there is a lot of talk about all kinds of "turquoise" organizations. At the same time, not everyone understands the essence of the new theories of people management. It usually stops at the “need to loosen control” level. And here, as opposed to total dictatorship, total anarchy sets in. This is when people lose any orientation and begin to openly live their lives at work. Dealing with personal matters working time, ignoring any rules and regulations.
It would seem, why is it bad when employees breathe in the air of freedom with a full chest? Yes, because after some time a feeling of abandonment and lack of interest on the part of the leadership creeps up.
A typical situation is "A ship without a captain". Why is this bad for people in a state of emotional burnout? All the same apathy, frustration and desire to escape from the "sinking ship" before it hit the reefs.
Solution. Stay in control of key aspects of your business. Set priorities and control processes at fixed points. It is important that people understand that you know what is happening and are ready to support them, helping them make responsible decisions at the right time. In our paternalistic society, people are used to a kind of dictatorship. It is important to maintain the optimal balance between control and freedom.
For example, we have a fairly democratic approach to horizontal management. Leaders set goals, and the team independently makes decisions about the tools to achieve them. We have weekly meetings with the heads of departments, while at the meetings we try to maintain an informal atmosphere and speak as directly and to the point as possible.
Mistake 5. Pessimism
Any negative emotions can be compared to the flu. They quickly arise and quickly knock down. And sometimes it actually goes viral. Negative emotional contagion spreads in the team at the speed of light. Any phrase accidentally dropped by a top manager can affect the emotional background of an entire corporation. This does not mean at all that you need to smile 24/7 and demonstrate a total positive. But excessive pessimism can demotivate the team.
Solution. Try to avoid extremely negative assessments of an event, especially in the presence of a significant number of employees. Think about the value of your words. Also, if you still can’t do without negativity, it’s good if it is full of constructive proposals for solving this or that situation.
Mistake 6. Formalism
Nobody wants to do useless work. But sometimes, suffering from "growing pains", large companies dig into regulations, forms, reports and standards. The result is routine. Moreover, the number of approvals does not protect against errors and does not guarantee results, but it gives a feeling of security to all the nanoparticles of your large bureaucratic apparatus.
Solution. Fight bureaucracy and meaninglessness. Sometimes it is useful to ask yourself the question: “Why do we need this process?”. Very often, the answer “it happened historically” eats up a lot of effort and resources, giving the company absolutely nothing. Add to that emotional burnout employees, and you will be able to simplify a lot of internal processes and make the lives of those around you a little better.
For example, we conduct employee satisfaction surveys twice a year on the subject of satisfaction with the work of internal divisions of the company.
Everyone can express their point of view about what they like and what not. This helps to see what may be missing from everyday attention and stimulates the internal customer focus of the team.
Mistake 7. Aggression
Nobody likes being yelled at, threatened and bullied. Surprisingly, so far in social networks there are stories of companies and people on the verge of rudeness and the criminal code. It is not only about Russian experience. Even abroad, such incidents are not uncommon. Managers, and more often business owners, allow themselves to communicate with subordinates more than just constructive criticism, taking out their bad mood and other sociopathic aspects on everything that moves.
Solution. Learn to work with information and people. Stop attacks of unmotivated aggression. Remember that with the development of social networks, any aggressive attack in a second can end up on YouTube or the Facebook feed. And as you know, everything that gets on the Internet, stays there.
In our company, it is customary to treat others kindly. Rudeness and aggression are not welcome at any level.
In general, I believe that there is no reason to humiliate human dignity. Therefore, any border or conflict situations, we try to prevent at the very beginning. If there is aggression, then it is worth looking for the root cause. Usually everything is at the level of mutual understanding and respect.
Mistake 8. Lie
Lying is bad. It pays to be honest. These postulates have been proven by millions of people around the world. But time after time, one of the managers tries to refute this. People are smarter than they seem, and everything secret becomes clear sooner or later.
Solution. Don't create false expectations. You should not dive into the jungle of lies and gossip when communicating with the staff. People remember everything. Authority and trust is a delicate matter that takes years to develop and collapses in seconds.
Tell the truth, and better in an accessible language, without unnecessary digressions. So there are more chances to explain the reasons for what is happening and save nerve cells.
It is better not to shift the responsibility for unpopular decisions onto the shoulders of subordinates. If you need to convey “bad news” to the team, do it yourself, without intermediaries. I try to voice any significant news for the company myself. People know that in any incomprehensible situation, you can come to me, ask questions and get comprehensive answers. This completely kills the ground for rumors and speculation.