Not All Bad Managers Are Yellers

Because Not All Bad Managers Are Yellers, They Can Be Difficult to Quickly Spot

The stereotype is that bad managers are yellers.  As one new manager training participant put it, they yell at and berate their team in private and in public.  They lose their temper and are abusive to their employees. But, new people managers please take note, there are many less overt ways to discourage, demoralize, and disengage  your team members.

The Impact of Bad Managers

Your poor attitude and behavior as a new supervisor can negatively affect your employees, their productivity, and your own reputation. And the cost is significant. A reported $450-550 billion a year is wasted in American companies through lost productivity caused by the disruption and upset by bad bosses.

If Not All Bad Managers Are Yellers, What Do Employees Say?

What do employees complain about most regarding the way their new managers and supervisors treat them?

• A lack of integrity – promises made but not kept
• No acknowledgment or credit for work well done
• Lack of attention – ignored and avoided
• Derogatory comments made to others on the team
• Lack of respect for privacy
• No responsibility for their own mistakes

The result?

Employees who find themselves in such negative professional relationships with their new bosses work under a great deal of stress.  They are anxious and wear out easily. Productivity suffers as individual employees naturally distance themselves from their boss, their commitment to their work, and the company.

Hardworking employees deserve understanding and respect. When they are treated discourteously by their manager or supervisor, they react as anyone would in similar circumstances. Our organizational culture assessment data tells us that employees are less productive when they are troubled by how their boss treats them, feel less committed to their work, keep away from their boss and, yes, quit early.

What To Do

If you are open and interested to be a great leader, your team will respond in kind. Be consistent, establish accountability, appreciate hard work, and deal with performance problems directly with integrity.  This will earn the respect and trust of your team.  If this feels like to much to handle, make sure you sign up for a proven new manager training program focused on what it takes to succeed as a manager in your unique corporate culture.  

The Bottom Line

Every new manager wants to succeed. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by treating your team members poorly. They will be watching your every move.

To learn more about new manager best practices, download Becoming a New Leader: 5 Traps to Avoid