Five manager mistakes that interfere with achieving results

Modern leaders are people who can do everything. Or almost everything. If we talk about business owners, in most cases they all started from scratch, went through hundreds of closed doors and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And in the end they became strong and successful. Hired executives (territorial managers, store managers, store managers) do not lag far behind their employers in the issue of skills and determination, and often the financial success of a store depends on the local manager. But with all the variety of positive qualities and strengths, managers, like their subordinates, make mistakes that can greatly affect the result. Alas, not in a positive way. About how not to make or discover the five main mistakes of the leader in time, says SR expert, business coach Kristina Wojciechowska.

Mistakes made by managers are mostly the same. And the problems that follow are also very similar. In this article, we will analyze the most common mistakes and offer some solutions that have already helped many managers. Perhaps in one of these examples you will recognize your mistake and be able to prevent potential difficulties in time.
So, 5 leader mistakes that interfere with achieving high results.

Mistake # 1: Always be right
To be right in everything and in spite of everything - this is what is called in our blood. Imagine the situation: you have some goal (to approve a new work plan for the leader, improve the quality of relations in the team, etc.), but it has not yet been achieved, because there were some obstacles in the form of a dispute - difficulties in negotiations, resistance from the team or leader.
If you know that you are right, then do your best to prove it and get out of the dispute as a winner. However, does “always be right” always lead to the achievement of the desired result, to your goal? Or is it that the goal fades into the race for victory in a dispute? Admit it, it happens.
Popular in Europe and America win-win negotiations (won, won). This technique works well there, but not in Russia, because we, passion, like to argue and win in disputes. Both of us cannot win in a dispute, someone must lose. Such an attitude to negotiations cannot be called bad or good, it is a given, but business success often depends on it. If you have been struggling for a long time over some issue, project, new program and cannot come to a logical end, stop and think, maybe you and your opponent are “bargaining” with each other, not for the sake of your goal, but out of excitement and desire to win.

What if you recognize yourself?

Think about what is more important for you - the result or something to prove to someone. If the result may be worth changing tactics and losing, win.

Error No.2: Do it yourself
Because no one will do better than you anyway, right? Moreover, you have already tried to delegate part of the duties to subordinates, and nothing good came of it.

Doing everything yourself is, of course, easier for everyone. You - because you know well what you are doing and are confident in the result, and your subordinates - because you do not need to strain. It is enough to come to you and plaintively ask for help (read: do for him) his own work. And you will breathe a sigh and save the employee - you will quickly and efficiently do what he will then receive money for. Agree, a very comfortable position. Subordinates quickly grasp the essence of the matter and begin to shift more and more things onto you, backing up their requests with your importance, need, irreplaceability and other praises (which is actually manipulation). And, of course, what they are delegated to do well is not profitable for them either - they will also be charged with duties.

Thus, taking everything upon yourself, you amuse your inner workaholic (your vanity) and reinforce the parasitic tricks of your own employees. And the most annoying thing is that according to the results you feel like a driven horse that runs around the clock, pulls everything and one on its own energy and shoulders and does not complain. And your employees work half-heartedly, receiving a salary as a one-hundred-percent return on work, and at the same time they are constantly dissatisfied with something. Familiar situation? Maybe it's time to change something.

What if you recognize this trait in yourself? Overpower yourself and start delegating. Not all at once and a lot, but gradually, systematically. Support more, encourage employees: it didn't work out - I'll show you again and again how to do it. Ultimately, your answers to subordinates should boil down to three words: OK, not OK, I don't know. If the solution that the employee found suits you - it's OK, it doesn't suit you - it's not OK, if the subordinate shouts "Chief, it's all gone, we'll all die!" - you yourself will guess what answer you need ... At first people will resist, and very strongly, and then they will get used to it. All the more so if you demonstrate the importance of their participation in the work process and clearly show the power of team synergy.

Mistake No. 3: I am the boss, you are the fool
“Well, why can’t you do the same as me ?!” - you are perplexed when you explain to the employee for the hundredth time the importance of contacting / processing objections / offers of care products and many other tasks facing the seller. “Watch how I do, and do the same!” The last time I show ... ", - you say and make the next sale of three pairs in one hand. Easy and without straining. “Got it? Let’s do the same, ”and proudly retire to your office. Curtain. Or, even worse, look at how your employee goes and tries to repeat your sale, for which he again receives your heavy sighs and the rhetorical question “Well, why can't you do the same as me ?!” In this case, you retire to his office with an overwhelming burden of re-education and training of "these".
The problem is that he will never do what you do. You are better in this matter, at least because you are more confident in yourself (otherwise how did you become a leader?). When a manager shows his enchanting sales to an employee, the latter is even more deeply rooted in the opinion that he will never be able to, that he is worse, dumber, that he is less “expert”, and therefore even more self-confident. The employee’s self-esteem suffers greatly, and this clearly does not motivate. From the seller’s insecurity, we can get two outcomes: either he will make every effort to prove to himself and everyone else that this is all nonsense, and you demand the impossible from him (believe me, he will find enough arguments), or he will close even more and squeeze if not according to attitude towards you, then in working with a client for sure.

What if you recognize this trait in yourself? Focus on people and build on their existing skills. Instead of showing how you can, start with their capabilities - let them demonstrate what they are capable of. Tell yourself less, let’s speak more to them (planning meetings, meetings, “five minutes” once a week, at which each employee gives a short report on a specific topic). Ask for their opinions, do not lose feedback. It’s important to understand what skills your people already have and how they can be trained. Will help you expert scale - a method for assessing each employee by the level of his professional development on a scale from 1 to 10, while you yourself must answer the questions why you gave this or that rating to a particular person (for what knowledge, skills, actions) and what will be the next step to enhance his professionalism. And you don’t need to try to transfer the four to ten in one fell swoop, it’s enough to understand what skills you need to add at the + 1 or + 2 position step.

Mistake # 4: Focus on the process instead of the result

The manager’s workload is very large, everything needs to be done: to monitor the smooth operation of employees, deal with goods, documents, advertising, calculations, conflicting customers who do not want to listen to anyone except you, force majeure, which pour in from all sides, like from the cornucopia, to carry out important and urgent orders from managers or to save subordinates ... You have already started a diary, and you are trying to make some rules on your work day, and you read books about how someone can live without interruption according to the notorious time management has time to do everything, but there are more and more tasks every day, and less and less free time. If you look closely at all these matters, you can see that most of them are routine, monotonous process tasks that take a huge amount of time and effort, but do not bring the desired result. And if you look at your work day, then it is suspiciously like a race in a circle. You are so busy that you do not have time to catch your breath and analyze where your path leads you. To the intended goal or just allows you to maintain work processes in good condition? As a result, there is neither the energy nor the time to ask serious questions: assessing the company's mission, strategy, corporate culture, the needs of your target audience - and generally analyzing who your target audience is and whether your business is moving in that direction ? Or do you adhere to the position of “Make a profit and - thank God”? The danger of this situation is that just yesterday, strong companies that “somehow worked and okay” today drop out of the big game, go bankrupt, lose people and customers, not understanding the reason why their business concept has become unnecessary for the market. People who for a long time solve only process tasks at some point burn out and go on a long rehabilitation with all the ensuing consequences.

What to do if you recognize this trait in yourself? Exhale. Stop and ask yourself and your business / store a sacramental question - “Why?” Why did I choose this profession / field of activity? What is important to me? Who is my store for? Why do we customize and hone all business processes? What do we bring to people? What are we customers for? And for what tactical results do you put so much effort into processes? And finally, do all your process matters lead you to the result?

Mistake # 5: Afraid to make a mistake (get an unflattering grade, look ugly)
A mistake that breaks down the most effective plans and the most interesting business decisions. It is called “What if it doesn’t work out?”, And in search of a comfort and safety zone, without risks and threats to the image, smart, experienced and successful leaders return to their previous (albeit already ineffective) formats of work, abandon their plans, fearing and not doing any one decisive step. And the most annoying thing is that after some time someone realizes your ideas and is very successful in his business. And this someone will get all the applause, success, grateful customers and increased sales. Your applause, your success, your customers ...

What to do if you recognize yourself?

You know what to do, right? So hurry up until no one has arrogated to yourself your success, your customers and your money!