Have you ever wondered whether or not somebody who has worked for you would consider you a bad manager? Unfortunately, almost all of the bad managers walking around today are convincing themselves that they are actually quite good at what they do. In fact, a percentage of them are breaking their arms trying to pat themselves on the back! So, the question is: how do you know that you're not one of them? Hint, if you have had someone forward this blog to you, then you are probably a bad manager or working for one!
While self-awareness is definitely important to be able to have the other thing that's necessary is to be able to have people you trust who can give you candid feedback. The bottom line is that all of us have blind spots and those blind spots prevent us from being able to see what other people see without our own filters getting in the way.
So, if you believe that you are a great manager and yet you never get suggestions, feedback, or team members coming up to you sheepishly and reluctantly to share something that they've been wanting to get off their chest for some time? Then you are probably a bad manager.
Ways to improve when everyone seems to tell you that you're good or are simply too uncomfortable to tell you what you're doing wrong: describe your workday in detail anger management actions minus your philosophy and justification, to a friend or family member that knows you well and has no hesitance to put you in your place and see what they say. If you get raised eyebrows and minor gasps and uncomfortable pauses this is a sign that you were probably a bad manager. Never fear just because you are currently a bad manager does not mean that you have to stay that way. Start by encouraging and courting the feedback of managers that you trust and respect.
Ask them how they would handle a situation similar to yours and they're professional workplace. Ask them how they have handled disputes or challenges in the past and then ask if they would be willing to help audit you as you progress over the next six months. Ask them to provide a listening ear and candid feedback as you work to make progress on becoming the kind of manager who knows how to earn respect as well as give it. When you begin showing up this way you will have a more powerful effect and impact on the people that you work with. They will begin to see that you are not ego driven but instead driven to lift each other up to help actualize growth and improvement in others and to see the team achieve great things above making a name for yourself.
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