5 Mistakes Managers Make That Can Be Avoided

Last month, we spoke of leadership mistakes and how they impact employee engagement. This week, we are going to focus on mistakes managers make and take a look at how they impact not only employee engagement but also employee performance.

I would consider managerial mistakes to be on a smaller scale than leadership mistakes. However, over a period of time, they add up and can cause a lot of damage.

Here is a list of mistakes that managers should avoid making.

Not Making Decisions

As a manager, one thing you are expected to do is make decisions. So if you show yourself as someone who cannot make a decision or refuses to make a decision, or even worse is ambivalent about everything, you will come across as an indecisive person to your team. And they will lose faith in you as a manager because when managers do not make decisions about everyday issues or problems, it impacts the entire team.

Doing People’s Work For Them

This is a mistake commonly made by new managers. When you give an employee a task and they do it in a manner that you do not like, do not offer to do it for them, saying it will be easier for you. It’s probably easier for you and once or twice, it is okay as well, especially when for whatever reason, the employee is out of their depth and unable to do that task. However, this becomes not okay when it continues to happen all the time and begins eating into your own work.

Also, it sets a bad precedent. Employees will feel discouraged because they feel that no matter how hard they try, they will never get an opportunity to improve their work. Or conversely, they will get the idea that they don’t have to do anything since the manager is going to do it anyway.

Taking All The Credit, Passing All The Blame

Oof, this is one of those mistakes that alienate teammates instantly, as if you have the plague or something equally contagious. When your employees do something for you, make sure you acknowledge their contribution or their work. Similarly, when mistakes happen, step up and accept the blame instead of pointing fingers at specific people. As a manager, you are a leader in training. Don’t ever forget that.

Avoiding Difficult Conversations

Difficult conversations are never easy. But avoiding them only makes the problem worse. As a manager, you need to realize that sometimes, certain conversations must be had, no matter, how averse you are to being confrontational. And here’s the cinch. A difficult conversation does not have to be confrontational. All you need is some tact and empathy and of course, the willingness to listen.

Also Read: How To Prep For Those Awkward Post Performance Review Conversations

Not Giving Frequent Feedback

Not giving frequent feedback makes employees feel unappreciated and lets problems fester. Both these factors will soon develop to such a point that employees will leave your team to move on to another or even worse, simply leave the organization.

Your employees deserve to know how they are doing. Are they working well? Are they not working well? Giving frequent feedback will help your team become a well-oiled machine. By giving frequent feedback, you can help your team develop and grow. Also receiving feedback will make you more attuned to your team and also strengthen your bond with them. Giving and receiving constructive feedback is one of the best ways to improve as a manager!

Also Read: How To Give Constructive Feedback In The Workplace?

Engagedly is a performance management application with elements of employee engagement. To know how Engagedly can help your organization, request a demo today!