Manager Mishaps

According to a Gallup poll of more than one million employed US Workers, a bad boss is the number one reason people leave their job and 3 in 5 employees say their organizations are not well managed.

What would employees at your company say?

As today unfolds keep an eye out for some common Manager Mishaps:

1. How are you stifling autonomy?
2. Where are you micro-managing?
3. Why are you focusing more on placing blame than on solving problems?

Managers set the tone of company culture by illustrating what is acceptable and valued, by what they say, what they do, and what they don’t do.

The best managers are committed to eliminating the barriers standing in the way of their folks performing their best.

According to Daniel Pink in his book Drive, hiring employees who are the right fit and offering them opportunities for Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose will ensure an engaged workforce.

The key to retention is consistency.

People pay attention. Inconsistencies are opportunities for major dissatisfaction or disruption in the work place.

If you don’t believe that your actions have a significant impact on your staff, try doing something out of character, see how word spreads.

What is the culture of your organization? Does it use or utilize its employees?

Use Selective Hearing to Your Advantage

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” - Suzy Kassem

We’ve all heard of selective hearing...

I hope the irony of that does not pass you by.

Just because you have heard of it does not mean you are using it to your advantage:

• Ineffective application results in hiding from reality
• Effective application results in changing reality

Don’t use selective hearing on what others say to you.

Use selective hearing on what you say to you.

Allow both positive and negative feedback to come to you unfiltered. Hear it all. You can’t control the data. You can however, control how you interpret that data.

In other words:

What other people think about you can’t hurt you; what you think about you, can.

When negative self-speak tries to enter your mind, employ selective hearing. Hear the feedback of others, not the judgment that you pass about yourself.

It’s the difference between self awareness and self consciousness.

How has self awareness fed your dreams?

How has self-consciousness fed your doubts?

Tip # 49: Drop Those Defenses

“Sometimes we receive feedback from someone that doesn’t feel good to hear. We get defensive and argue that they “just don’t understand.” Instead of deflecting their comments, listen to what they have to say. It may be true that they don’t understand, but we can learn about them—their values, priorities and feelings—just by listening. From that vantage point, we gain the upper hand and can craft an appropriate and productive response. And you never know; once you stop deflecting and start listening, you may realize what they’re offering is valuable, even valid feedback.

The next time someone criticizes you, make an effort to listen and not become defensive. Write down what you heard. What did you learn about the person? Is there any insight to be gained from what they presented to you?”

Of all the tips offered in 128 Tips to Make You a More Effective Leader, this may be the most challenging one to master. Hearing negative feedback often elicits a knee-jerk reaction...

And it’s not to send a thank you note.

The most important thing to remember in the moment is to pause.

I have found it useful to remind myself that feedback is 100% about the giver…and there may be a grain of truth in it about you, too.

Huh?

Think about it: The person who is giving you negative feedback is describing THEIR feelings, their thoughts, their judgments. They may be correct about you, too… or not.

What is correct is the great insight they are offering you about what is important to them? Good to know!

Their words may not feel like a compliment to you, but their actions give you an insider’s view of them.