Are you a Halloween Frankenboss? Ten Ways to Tell…
Are you a ‘Frankenboss?’ That's a mean boss who terrorises his or her employees, or whose behaviour closely resembles that of a half-brained monster? The Ken Blanchard Companies’ Randy Conley says that if any of these describe your leadership style, you might want to take a look in the mirror and examine the face that’s peering back at you – are there bolts growing out of the sides of your neck?
1. You Lose your temper - Cursing doesn't motivate you employees it just shows lack of maturity and self-control. Our society has finally awoken to the damaging effects of bullying in our school system so why should it be any different at work? If you have troubles controlling your temper then do something to fix it.
2. You don't follow through on commitments - If you have a habit of not following through on your commitments, it sends an unspoken message to your team that it's ok for them to not follow through on their commitments either.
3. You don't pay attention, multi-task, or aren't 'present' in meetings - Multi-tasking on your phone or looking bored or impatient is rude and disrespectful to your team. Give them 100% of your focus. They deserve it.
4. You are driven by your ego - Self-serving leaders may be successful in the short-term, but they won't be able to create a sustainable followership over time. There is a difference between self-confidence and ego.
5. You avoid conflict - Successful leaders know how to manage conflict in their teams effectively. Frankenbosses either sweep issues under the rug or make mountains out of molehills.
6. You don't give feedback - It's not fair to your employees to give them an assignment, never check on how they're doing, and then blast them with negative feedback when they fail to deliver exactly what you wanted. Set clear goals, provide the direction and support the person needs, provide coaching and feedback along the way, and then celebrate with them when they achieve the goal.
7. You micromanage - Ugh…even saying the word conjures up stress and anxiety. The micromanager tends to think their way is the best and only way to do the task, they have control issues, they don't trust others, and generally are not good at training, delegating, and letting go of work. Then they spend their time re-doing the work of their subordinates until it meets their unrealistic standards and they go around complaining about how overworked and stressed-out they are! Knock it off!
8. You throw your team members under the bus - When great bosses experience success, they give the credit to their team. When they encounter failure, they take personal responsibility. Blaming, accusing, or making excuses is a sign of being a weak, insecure leader. No one likes to be called out in front of others, especially when it's not justified. Man up and take responsibility.
9. You always play by the book - Leadership is not always black and white. Too many leaders rely upon the organisational policy manual so they don't have to make tough decisions. It's much easier to say "Sorry, that's the policy" than it is to jump into the fray and come up with creative solutions to the problems at hand.
10. You practice "seagull" management - A seagull manager is one who periodically flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps all over everyone, and then flies away.