Surviving Poor Management 14: Yours May Not Be So Bad

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Glen worked for a company with bad management. A friend of his wanted to change jobs to escape what he perceived as manipulative management. Glen hesitated because he didn’t think his friend would want to work in their poor environment, but gave his friend 4 names to contact. His friend reported back about how everyone complained about management. Then, he said “Your contacts thought they worked for poor management. Poor management is when your boss tells you at 4:55 on Halloween night. ‘Some of you may want to go home early to be with your family for Halloween. But the company will lay off 195 this Friday. So, you better reconsider what would be best for your family.’”

You Think You Have It Bad…

We’ve spent the last few posts reviewing indications and symptoms of poor management. Today, we want to examine how you can recognize that your management may not be so bad.

The old adage declares that “familiarity breeds contempt.” In other words, the more you get to know someone, the more you see the negative or bad things about them. We find this when consulting people about applying for internal promotions. Management tends to discuss the weaknesses of internal candidates and discuss the strengths of external candidates.

You, therefore, may observe the flaws of your management team more than their good traits. Continued exposure in the on-going workplace may highlight the blemishes and may enhance your frustration.

…It Could Be Worse

Yet, you may want to compare your management with others in today’s chaotic workplace. You may find—when you really explore deeply—that you are

• Ignoring strengths in your management
• Breeding more frustrations by your complaining and fault-finding
• Exhibiting more traits of bad managers than your managers do

In addition, you may find that management in other companies possess more:

• Confusion, chaos, and disorganization
• Disrespect, abuse, and overwork of their employees
• Divisive and contentious workplace
• Harsh, cool, aloof, or strained environment

Friday we explore how to change poor management into good, if you can

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 12: 5 Critical Mgt. Derailers

This continues our series to help all of you working under poorly managed companies

Profiles International posted a great presentation on SlideShare. They titled the presentation, Five Critical Management Derailers: Symptoms and Remedies. We recommend you read the entire presentation for yourself. Nevertheless, we will summarize the remedies and let you study the symptoms of an “At Risk"” manager on your own. The ideas expressed in today’s post come directly from the SlideShare.

1. Poor Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Symptoms

• Always seem to be feuding or polarizing the organization
• Authoritarian, cold, aloof, arrogant, or insensitive

Remedies

• Understand the true root cause of conflict
• Understand the manager’s management style and motivation
• Help the manager understand his own management and communication style

2. Inadequate Leadership Skills

Symptoms

• Team consistently fails to meet expected goals
• Team members are disengaged, frustrated, and quit

Remedies

• Clarify the team’s purpose and goals with the manager
• Help the manager understand his people
• Help the manager understand his leadership style and motivation
• Provide feedback from multiple constituents

3. Resistant to Change

Symptoms

• Manager expresses frustration and skepticism about change
• Manager doesn’t change the attitude even after concerns are addressed
• Manager reminisces about the “way it was” & does things the “old way”

Remedies

• Understand the manager’s appetite for change
• Help the manager understand his natural aversion to change
• Ensure that the manager is focused on the new priorities

4. Inability to Deliver the Expected Results

Symptoms

• Results are consistently below goal, especially measurable ones
• Manager blames others or avoids discussions about goals
• Team unaware of how they contribute to the organization’s goals

Remedies

• Clarify expected results and goals
• Understand the manager
• Inspect what you expect

5. Inability to see beyond their functional silo

Symptoms

• Unwilling to communicate outside the unit
• Makes decisions that benefit his/her unit but hurt the organization
• Hoards information that might benefit others outside his unit

Remedies

• Establish clarity
• Include the manager in at least one cross-functional team
• Establish at least one cross-functional goal for the manager
• Monitor the manager’s progress

Wednesday we highlight how you can see even poor managers in a better light

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 12: 10 Signs of a Bad Boss

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Sophia worked for a small advertising company with 35 employees. The quality of the firms work received awards in multiple states. Nevertheless, Sophia recognized the firm was in trouble. She identified the problem as the owner.  He excelled in creating outstanding advertising campaigns. Unfortunately, he managed poorly. He didn’t trust his staff. He micromanaged his team. He rarely delegated responsibilities, and retook delegated tasks back from his employees.

10 Signs You’ve Got a Bad Boss

Kelly Eggers wrote an article last year, 10 Signs You’ve Got a Bad Boss ,that we share with you. We like it because it expands the concept of poor management from one boss, to a culture of poor management. Recommend you read the entire article on Jobs.AOL.com.

Eggers describes the following problems that create a poor management culture within the organizations:

• Bad Communication: Poor or secretive communication creates problems and rumor
• Leading by (Very Specific) Example: Micromanaging or telling employees there is only one way to do things kills morale and creativity
• Team Building that Isn’t team building: Get to know your employees in social settings as well as at work. Jared and Sarah Stewart suggest creating pools
• Little or No Training: Companies that are not willing to invest in their employees fail to keep their best employees
• Ineffective Training: Training that does not achieve the desired result could be worse than no training at all—it could reduce existing productivity, results, & profits
• Poorly executed performance reviews: Many companies use obsolete or ineffective methods for evaluating performance. Bad performance appraisals lead to poor awards
• Stifled Mobility: Managers who fail to recognize—and take advantage of—their employees best skills and strengths cannot help them achieve their potential
• Preventing Follow-Through: Not allowing employees to feel the satisfaction of completing a good job or project kills their motivation to do well
• Obstacle-Course Applications: Unclear job descriptions and convoluted application processes stifle hiring the best people
• Hiring for Skills, Not Competencies: Ignoring competency for keywords

Monday we review symptoms and remedies for five critical management problems

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 11: Incompetent Managers

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Rachel worked for a small company with 20-25 employees for 10 years. She worked hard for the company, but never felt appreciated by the owner. He constantly criticized her, gave her assignments just before quitting time and told her she had to stay until they were finished. She went 4 years without receiving a raise. In retrospect, Rachel recognized 7 of the traits outlined by Margaret Heffernan. Rachel finally had to leave the company when they closed their doors due to poor management.

10 Signs of Incompetent Managers

Toni Bowers referred to an article written by Margaret Heffernan listing 10 traits shared by poor managers. Heffernan outlines the following characteristics:

• Bias against action because they constantly analyze problems
• Secrecy becomes a shield bad manager use to hide what they do
• Over-sensitivity that inhibits them from facing the brutal facts
• Love of procedure may mask a problem with prioritizing
• Preference for weak candidates because strong ones threaten them
• Focus on small tasks instead of the most important and effective ones
• Inability to hire former employees because they won’t work for them
• Allergy to deadlines indicates an inability to set and fulfill milestones
• Addiction to consultants to defer making decisions themselves
• Long hours because they cannot prioritize work or get it done in time

What to Do If You Work for a Bad Boss

Most workers today learn how to adjust to poor management in one way or another.

• Study materials about good management
• Implement good management practices quietly without fanfare
• Help your manager implement better management practices
• Stay out of sight

Occasionally, you cannot adjust or adapt to bad management. In those cases, you may need to explore options:

• Go to work for another company. (Research to ensure do not find another bad boss)
• Explore how you can help your boss manage more effectively
• Stay aware of poor management and consequences to the organization
• Accept the poor management and find satisfaction in other pursuits

Friday we review Kelly Eggers article 10 Signs You’ve Got a Bad Boss

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 10: High Turnover/Low Morale

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Bernard worked for the same nonprofit organization for more than 30 years. Several people began working for the same organization at the same time as Bernard. They grew close meeting at conferences and sharing best practices to improve the organization. The organization experienced multiple changes in division directorship in the last 5 years. Each new director requested a strategic analysis and redirection. The uncertainty, confusion, and frequent strategic changes affected the organization resulting in a 45% turnover of staff in 3 years.

Importance of Consistency and High Morale

Consistency and high morale engender

• Increased productivity because workers enjoy their work and get along as a long-established team
• Intrinsic motivation from high morale requires less external motivation
• Better efficiency and quality from an enthusiastic staff with esprit-de-corps
• Smoother processes by experienced staff with less glitches from inexperience

Consequences of High Turnover and Low Morale

Companies suffer when they have high turnover or low morale. Some of the consequences include:

• Lost time and money transitioning new employees into positions
• Lower production due to the inexperience of the new employees
• Reduced cohesiveness among the team because they hesitate to build short relationships
• Uncertainty experienced by other workers, and possibly clients and vendors
• Loss of corporate memory and culture
• Less loyalty to the organization, management, or co-workers
• Workers perform the minimum required, but are not inclined to give more
• Grumbling and complaining to co-workers on- or off-site distracts time and attention from productive work
• Less ownership of the organization’s success or failure

Compensating for High Turnover and Low Morale

You may compensate for the high turnover and low morale within the organization that results from poor management in several ways:

• Build relationships quickly, with the intent of staying in touch beyond current jobs
• Find your own internal motivation for the work in spite of poor management
• Mentor new employees so they adapt quickly and feel part of the organization
• Avoid griping, complaining, or listening to negativity from others

Wednesday we will discuss Toni Bowers article 10 Signs of Incompetent Management

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 9: Rumor, Innuendo, & Secret

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Elaine started her career working for a private company in the greater Los Angeles area. The owner of the company fostered distrust and contention among his employees. He would pit them against one another to see which one would perform best. He criticized and spread rumors about his employees. He approached Elaine to assert herself more in the office because the manager was incompetent. Unbeknownst to her, the owner had approached her manager encouraging him to keep Elaine in line because she was too uppity. The owner thought it would stimulate greater productivity. Instead, production dropped, profits fell, and both Elaine and the manager left the company.

Importance of Transparency and Credible Communication

Studies substantiate that companies with transparent lines of communication fair better than companies based on rumor, innuendo, and secrets. Stephen M. R. Covey’s excellent work The Speed of Trust highlights that lack of trust cost companies millions of dollars. Trust literally speeds production, profits, and results. Many organizations found communicating openly with workers about profits, production, and challenges pay financial dividends.

Consequences of Rumor, Innuendo, & Secrets at Work

When rumor, innuendo, and secrets replace official communication in a company terrible things happen. For example,

• Informal communication supersedes official communication as a form of trust
• Good employees choose not to work at a company that fosters those practices
• Employees who enjoy the environment stay and do you trust them
• Production and morale suffer from lost time trying to discern what is really happening
• Trust in management, trust in co-workers, and trust in communications evaporates
• Some employees ostracize other employees leading to greater distrust and confusion
• Law suites filed by employees against employers for hostile environments

Compensating for Rumor, Innuendo, and Secrets

• Keep open communication with management, co-workers, and others
• Do not participate in sharing rumors or innuendos about others
• Kindly confront rumors, innuendos, and secrets with those being discussed
• Establish guidelines, policies, and procedures that foster transparency

Monday we review the impact of high turnover, low morale, and poor performance on your job

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.

Surviving Poor Management 8: Always Analyzing No Action

This continues our series on how to survive poor management at work and grow

Pauline became the leader of a global nonprofit organization. She found herself, for the first time, in a position to define the vision and direction of the organization. She was a careful, analytical person who wanted to do what was right. She compensates by both waiting for someone to tell her what to do, and consistently analyzing every strategy or direction without taking action. The operational staff await directions that never come.

Importance of Balancing Analysis and Action

Great organizations take the time to analyze their market, their strategy, their competitors, and their processes. They compare their findings with their desired objectives and decide what direction they will pursue.

Having established their vision, defined their positive direction followed by their don’t-do list, great companies act. They implement the processes that will allow them to achieve their goals most effectively and efficiently. They also evaluate performance of the company to benchmarks and established metrics.

Their analysis of these performance indicators provides data to refine, not redefine their processes and strategy. Jim Collins describes this ability to refine, yet continue, continuing the flywheel.

Consequences of Analysis Paralysis

Good companies do not allow their analysis to prevent action. They recognize that continual analysis hinders employees from moving forward. Employees second guess what they should do. They wonder what they should stop doing. They worry about their jobs. As a result, they stop working, awaiting further direction.

Another consequence of constant analysis without moving to action: people fail to act. Lack of action creates a vacuum. Employees try to fill the vacuum. As a result, the organization moves in multiple directions.

Another consequence occurs if the analysis reverses direction two or three times. Reversals in direction create further confusion and missteps.

Compensating for No Action

• Reason to yourself what to do and move forward, ask forgiveness if needed later
• Learn what to do by maintaining closer relationships with management and others
• Stop worrying and continue doing your job

Friday we explore consequences of rumor, innuendo, and secrecy replacing formal channels

This blog will improve as you submit comments, questions, and experiences. We will answer your questions in future blog posts. Please submit your comments and questions so we can answer them.