Why Some Managers Stink – and What to do About It!

Have you ever played the airport game? I recently took a trip and was forced to “play”.   On the return part of my trip, I ran into problems and thus the game began.

First, my flight was delayed, then they changed the gate, then my flight was delayed again, etc, …finally they canceled my flight and left me wondering how to get home – game over!

During this ordeal, I found myself waiting at the gate to speak with an agent.   But neither agent at the counter made eye contact with me – they never even looked up!

That is until, after a very long wait, I finally stepped up and asked them about the poor customer service. One agent said, “This in not my flight.” The other said, “I have a job to do.”

The Problem

The whole experience left me thinking about the problem behind the problem at this airline. You see, I can almost assure you that the manager for these agents fails to emphasize and model the importance of customer service.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” – John C. Maxwell

It’s common for managers to focus on results and disregard the relationship side of their work.

So why do managers drive for results at the expense of relationships?

Dynamic and decisive

Unfortunately, as managers are promoted into higher levels in their organization, too many feel that they should become more dynamic and decisive. After all, they’re in charge!

And the more dynamic and decisive they become, the more likely they are to disregard maintaining and enhancing relationships and expediently focus on the drive for results. After all, isn’t that all that matters?

The fact is…the more relationship-conscious employees are, the quicker they become disenchanted with managers who rule with selfish expediency.

Employees want to be respected and invited to use their minds instead of just blindly following orders. They can quickly become disenchanted with supervisors who express, “My way or the highway!” or “Do it because I said to!” or “Do it because I’m the boss!”

No wonder it’s been said that people don’t leave companies, they leave supervisors.

Person or path

I read a quote by an unknown author that said, “Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child.” Most managers, while very intelligent and well-meaning, tend to expediently “prepare the path” to drive for results.

They “tell” their subordinates the results (the what) they want with little or no input (in the how) from subordinates.

Few managers realize how a relationship-oriented approach would “prepare the employees” for the twist and turns along the path as they serve customers, suppliers (and yes, serve suppliers), and each other on the team.

Self or others

In our hectic workplace environments, managers tend to expediently pursue individual and departmental goals that are self-focused.

It is very easy to slip into expediently fulfilling our own narrow needs without giving sufficient attention to the needs of others and how you might better fulfill the overall needs of the organization and its customers.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 ESV

A manager who is bright, knowledgeable, dedicated, decisive, and dependable may also be understandably impatient and intolerant when dealing with others of average ability.

A manager thinks they have to give up results to enhance relationships. (By the way, this way of thinking is NOT correct. It is NOT either/or. The most effective leader emphasizes both relationships AND results.)

The Solution

Every manager can become a more effective leader by asking four questions:

I have found that it helps me to occasionally have a gut-check regarding important areas of leadership. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to determine how you leverage this important area of enhancing relationships as you drive for results.

Ask, “How well do I…”

(and rate yourself, 1 to 5, 1=never, 2=almost never, 3=sometimes, 4=almost always, 5=always)

Listen to others?
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5

Communicate with coworkers and direct reports?
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5

Understand, cooperate and collaborate with others?
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5

Praise and appreciate those around me?
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5

If you really want to understand where you rank in the above areas, ask a trusted friend to gather anonymous feedback on these questions from your co-workers, supervisors and direct reports. The results have the potential to transform your leadership! (It did for me.)

How did you rate? Did you learn something about yourself? What steps can you take today to start earning the enthusiasm, initiative and devotion of your employees? Please let me hear your thoughts by clicking <here>.