It has always amazed us how many terrible managers there are in the workplace. This isn’t something new; it’s been this way for as long as we can remember. Sadly, these ineffective managers rarely get identified in a timely manner by senior management.
This means terrible managers don’t get properly trained, or removed. The consequence is they linger on, doing irreparable damage including making good employees leave. The damage they can do to an organisation is way beyond financial measure.
Over the years our research has found that there are five key traits that are consistent with terrible managers. As you read through them, consider these a litmus test, to quickly identify any terrible managers that may exist in your organisation. You know the one; that person who is a manager or leader in name or title, but not in deed. You may also compare yourself with their traits and see how YOU score.
It may well surprise you.
If managers have one, maybe even two of these qualities, they can be worked with to overcome them and get themselves to be highly effective. Any more than two and our research suggests they need to begin building a safety net immediately; their team is going to fail and so will they!
