Most managers, especially new ones, have the desire to do well in their jobs.  Fueled by passion and excitement for their work they can easily stumble into three bad practices that will sabotage their success.  Without management training it’s easy to see how a new manager might not see the downside to these particular practices.  From trying to make friends, to doing it all, to tooting their own horn too loudly – these three behaviors cause more pain than reward.  Read on to learn how to avoid these top three mistakes as you navigate your management career.

Making Friends with Staff

If you’re a people person you’ll want to be liked.  But by trying to be liked, and making friends with staff, managers wander into troublesome territory.  Imagine how difficult it would be for a manager to appropriately discipline a colleague who is their close friend.  Or consider the damage done when people on the team feel that others are treated differently due to the personal friendship.  The boundaries that good managers need to establish can get very blurry when they allow their desire for friendship to affect their business relationships.

Trying to Do it All

Passionate managers often feel that they can make a difference in the workplace.  With their high sense of responsibility it’s easy for managers to take on too great a workload.  This can not only lead to a sense of overwhelm for the manager but can leave team members with little to do.  When employees don’t have sufficient challenge, and latitude to take initiative, their work satisfaction starts to suffer.  So smart managers learn to assess their team’s strengths and delegate work that is exciting and fulfilling.

Tooting Your Own Horn

Good managers exude passion for their work and their workplace.  But how loudly should they express their passion for their own accomplishments?  Rather than tooting their own horn, it’s wise for managers to attribute success to the whole team if several people contributed to a project.  Similarly, its important to watch for arrogance which can creep into conversations about accomplishments at work.  No one enjoys listening to someone boast.  Managers have greater influence when they remember to celebrate the success of a project, rather than the mastermind behind it.

Summing It Up

Whether you are a seasoned manager or a new one it’s wise to reflect on your management practices and behaviors.  Stop the urge to be make friends, do it all yourself and toot your own horn.  By avoiding these three mistakes to ensure that your team works more effectively to meet company goals.  Channel your passion for your job into positive practices such as establishing appropriate boundaries, using delegation and celebrating team input.