Jean on the Job
Passive managers can cause many problems because they don’t take action. Because they shirk responsibility, negative working styles in others persist. Acting-out employees who abuse others or take advantage of the system, or cause major upsets, need attention. Their behavior angers the good employee.
If you are a passive manager, your lack of follow through angers your employees even more than the one acting out. You may be the reserved, sometimes sweet manager, but, in the long run your passivity drains respect. Here is a list of what you generally don’t do:
You don’t call employees on outrageous behavior; you seem afraid of conflict.
You don’t point out dangerous issues to others.
You don’t intercede when necessary, you run.
You don’t give critical reviews.
You don’t set limits for those who love to test them.
You don’t announce consequences.
You don’t set clear goals or objectives.
You don’t give critical feedback, especially in the moment.
You don’t set an assertive example for subordinates.
You don’t gain respect from peers or subordinates.
You don’t protect themselves or others, you hide.
You don’t coach, you cover up.
If you are one of the above managers, or if you identify with even five of the above offenses, get some courage. Your fear of conflict is crippling you and destroying any hope of a system that trains, educates or develops.
Give up the “nice guy” and get your own coaching about how to really manage people. You are responsible for shaping the working behavior of your team. And in fact, you are responsible for having a team at all. If you have one or two acting-out squeaky wheels who abuse others and the system, and if you are not identifying those acts and serving up consequences, you are falling down on the job.
If you happen to have a passive manager who is listed above, start coaching yourself. Show him or her this list and suggest that you would like to help out with the management of those wild employees who are destroying your team.
Wimps recover. Bad managers get good. Supervisors learn. I’ve recently seen a 60-year-old former wimp who worked for 22 years in the same company, priding himself on never making a fuss or making an enemy. He was considered “a neutral” who could never be counted on in a struggle. He would say “yes” to the last person in his office. His helplessness nearly destroyed every group he had ever supervised.
When our wimp finally got the message and got some training, he became proud of himself again. He was surprised at the positive feedback he received for just opening his mouth. This recovering passive is no longer neutral, and he feels very non-neutral about his new courage. Try it. You will be surprised.
Jean Hollands, CEO, Growth & Leadership Center, author, Silicon Syndrome and Optimistic Organizations, is a management coach and corporate team-builder. Write to GLC, 1451 Grant Road, Mountain View 94040.
