There’s no doubt that there is more understanding of management than ever before. Once upon a time, it was very autocratic and while this might still be the case in some industries, on the whole businesses have got savvy to the different management styles and adopt their approach accordingly.
This has unquestionably been aided through the emergence of online MBA programs. Again, if we were to roll back the clock a few years, it was just too difficult for managers to learn about what really makes their workers tick. Now, these programs are more accessible than ever before.
Of course, mistakes are still being made. In a bid to help make sure that you don’t fall into any of these holes, we have penned today’s guide which will take a look at some of the most common management mistakes that tend to be made.
Management Mistake #1 – A lack of trust
Fortunately, this is something that doesn’t tend to be happening as much. Failing to trust employees can be a manager’s biggest downfall, and can result in a whole magnitude of problems.
Suddenly, you start to micromanage (and we all know the problems with that). Not only that, but it’s a huge drain on morale. Your employees can sense that you don’t trust them and they have little input in the job at hand.
Related: Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Management Style
Management Mistake #2 – The blame culture
When you manage a team, you are responsible for them. If one makes a mistake, you need to carry the burden. You manage the area and as such, the final word sits with you.
As soon as you start turning to the blame culture, you lose complete respect for your employees. They don’t trust you in any regard and before you know it, word will get around that you can’t be trusted by anyone. Ultimately, it will be your reputation which suffers the most, which was presumably the last thing you were looking to achieve.
Management Mistake #3 – Not knowing your employees as humans
Just because you are a person’s manager, it doesn’t mean to say that you can’t take an interest in their day-to-day life. If you start to treat them like humans, their respect for you will skyrocket. Sure, this is a work environment and boundaries must be satisfied, but at the same time, you need to at least know something about your employees’ lives. When you do this, the working environment doesn’t just become a lot more pleasant, but it also becomes easier to tailor your approach to your employees’ personality.
Management Mistake #4 – A lack of direction
This final mistake really shouldn’t be a surprise. After all, anyone that doesn’t provide direction is asking for trouble. Suddenly, nobody knows what they are meant to be doing, and projects come to a halt. Not only is this a killer for productivity, but it’s also something that is going to wreak havoc with morale again. After all, nobody likes to be stuck in limbo.
