Here are five of the most common mistakes we see managers make. These mistakes hurt team and organization performance, team unity and limit the positive impact of each employee and manager to the bottom line of the company. These mistakes are why teams struggle to hit basic standards and why they experience stagnant or negative growth.
- Failing to have an individual daily conversation with each of your direct reports. It’s amazing how many managers can’t seem to find the time or see the benefit in a 5-minute one-on-one conversation with each direct report each day. This meeting sets the expectation for the day, gives an opportunity to coach to success and in the end saves valuable time.
- Failing to give a “pat on the back”. 90% of managers are failing in this area. Recognizing an employee individually and specifically for something she did is free. The number one motivator for most employees is a pat on the back. If you can’t find something to recognize your employee for within a 7 day period then you have the wrong person in the job.
- Failing to hold a weekly team meeting. We still can’t believe how few managers hold a consistent weekly meeting. An effective weekly meeting should last no more than 20 to 30 minutes. Anything longer becomes terribly ineffective. Ever been to a 15 minute meeting that lasted an hour??? In other words, 15 minutes of useful information and dialog mixed in with 45 minutes of useless conversation that accomplished nothing. We’ve all been in one of those.
- Failing to coach. A top priority of a manager is to coach. To turn individual talents, of your direct reports, into performance. If you don’t do #1 on the list then coaching becomes more difficult.
- Failing to follow. In order to lead you need to follow. Too many managers have their own agenda instead of the organization’s agenda. Too many managers don’t lead in supporting the corporate culture. Your direct reports are watching. Your actions or inaction set the standard.
