Every manager will make mistakes from time to time and this is the perfect opportunity to own those mistakes and use them as teachable moments. After all, the greatest leaders are the ones who can humble themselves enough to admit when they are wrong and grow from their errors. However, making these mistakes over and over can be detrimental to your team and your career. Avoiding these common managerial mistakes will make you a more effective leader and a better asset to your organization.
Failure to Set Clear Expectations
Your team can’t succeed if they don’t know what’s expected of them. It is absolutely critical that you provide clear goals and direction so your employees can achieve organizational objectives. Imagine sitting at the bottom of a mountain and wondering how to get to the top. That’s exactly the way many teams feel when their managers fail to set clear expectations. Without proper direction, employees begin to feel anxious, stressed, and confused and this can eventually lead to turnover. The manager’s job is to define both overall and individual goals so employees know what they are aiming for and how they are going to achieve it.
Failure to Delegate
This is one of the most common managerial mistakes and it’s somewhat understandable. Managers want things to be done right and they often want them done a certain way. This can cause them to believe that sometimes it’s just easier to do things yourself. However, this kind of thinking is not efficient, nor is it beneficial for employees. For starters, managers are not superheroes and they cannot get everything done alone. Secondly, when a manager fails to delegate tasks, it sends the message that they don’t trust their employees to do their job well. This can affect the morale of the team. Managers need to have confidence in themselves and their team to do their jobs effectively.
Failure to Make Time for Your Team
There’s no doubt that a manager’s day is packed with duties and responsibilities and there’s more than enough work to occupy their time all day. However, your employees look to you for guidance and support and it’s tough to make them feel supported when you don’t make time for them. Failing to make time for your team is a common mistake, but it’s also easy to fix. Set aside time each week for a team huddle so everyone can check in and share updates. Furthermore, make it a point to check on your employees regularly and provide helpful feedback. You also need to make yourself available when your employees need you and encourage them to come to you with questions or concerns.