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Many years ago I worked for a company whose CEO was a stickler for how many hours employees worked. He made a point to note who came early and who stayed late. He considered anyone who didn't a slacker.
As far as I know, nobody ever told him how shortsighted his approach was. Instead of rewarding results, he rewarded butt-in-chair time. Instead of focusing on output, he focused on input. Most hated the practice, but nobody told him.
How many of your behaviors drive your employees silently crazy that you don't know about? Here are five leadership missteps to look out for:
1. You reward the wrong things.
What gets rewarded gets done. It is such a familiar axiom of management that it is nearly cliché. It is, however, completely true. Where you focus your attention focuses your employees' attention. What you notice, note and reward will get done more frequently.
What gets rewarded gets done. It is such a familiar axiom of management that it is nearly cliché. It is, however, completely true. Where you focus your attention focuses your employees' attention. What you notice, note and reward will get done more frequently.
Identify and focus on the results that matter. And don't be like the executive above who confused activity with accomplishment.
2. You don't listen.
Even if your employees told you about a qualm of theirs, you might not really hear them. It is too easy to be distracted and pre-occupied.
Even if your employees told you about a qualm of theirs, you might not really hear them. It is too easy to be distracted and pre-occupied.
Becoming a better listener is actually quite easy. When an employee is in your workspace to talk, turn off your email alerts, close your door and let your monitor go into sleep mode. Give your undivided attention to the person in front of you. They will feel you value them, and you'll likely increase the quality and speed of the interaction.
3. You don't notice what your employees are doing.
Brittney was a financial manager at a client firm. She was bubbly and outgoing. She also had the ability to draw attention to her "contributions," though many weren't that significant. Employees hated her self-aggrandizement. But they also disliked that management noted Brittney's efforts because they were easily observed. Leaders didn't pay attention to the good and often better work others were doing.
Brittney was a financial manager at a client firm. She was bubbly and outgoing. She also had the ability to draw attention to her "contributions," though many weren't that significant. Employees hated her self-aggrandizement. But they also disliked that management noted Brittney's efforts because they were easily observed. Leaders didn't pay attention to the good and often better work others were doing.
Great work is often done backstage, out of the spotlight. The glitter of self-promotion doesn't blind great entrepreneurs. They seek out those people doing good work and make it a point to notice. Pay attention to people who do good work and let them know. And don't get suckered by people who are better at promoting themselves than producing results.
4. Your attitude sucks.
Bill is an entrepreneur who constantly complains about how terrible his employees are at delivering customer service. He berates and belittles even their best efforts. And yet he's puzzled why those same employees treat customers poorly. The irony escapes him.
Bill is an entrepreneur who constantly complains about how terrible his employees are at delivering customer service. He berates and belittles even their best efforts. And yet he's puzzled why those same employees treat customers poorly. The irony escapes him.
Attitudes are contagious. Mirror neurons pick up on and are affected by the moods of those around us. Leaders are especially powerful in influencing the mood of those on their team.
Don't expect others to be more upbeat than you or treat customers better than you treat them. There are a few entrepreneurs who might have dodged this bullet, but not enough to be statistically significant. Your attitude is contagious, so pay attention to how you act at work each day.
5. You can't keep your mouth shut.
A young entrepreneur we will call Bob loved to share insider information about others. At one after-work beer session, he shared something HR told him confidentially about a coworker who was not at the gathering. It was less than flattering and was instantly off-putting to those in the group. The employee, a valued and productive member of the team, learned of the betrayal of confidence and was outraged. She left the company soon after.
A young entrepreneur we will call Bob loved to share insider information about others. At one after-work beer session, he shared something HR told him confidentially about a coworker who was not at the gathering. It was less than flattering and was instantly off-putting to those in the group. The employee, a valued and productive member of the team, learned of the betrayal of confidence and was outraged. She left the company soon after.
Don't think that trust can be effectively compartmentalized. If you're known to be untrustworthy in your personal life, few will trust you in your professional dealings. If people don't trust you, they will follow, but out of compliance instead of commitment.
No one is a mind-reader. If you want to find out why your team is dissatisfied to be a better leader, work on building trust and being equally open to both good and bad news. Ask them what they really think. And most importantly: listen.
