Whether you are just starting out on your career journey, or have skipped a few stones along the path, there is no doubt that you always wanted to get inside the mind of your manager to understand what its like to be them for a day and understand what really annoys them.
The most interesting thing about all managers is that they are a person just like you and I, and they also ride the waves of success and the lows of underachieving. However with that said we all want to try and avoid the problem of making the key mistake of driving our manager nuts, so just how do we do that?
Honestly, it isn’t rocket science…its just common sense, and sometimes in the craziness of our 9 – 5, its easy to lose sight of common sense. So check out the top five tips to avoid frustrating your manager.
1. DISHONESTY:
This may seem obvious and down right straight forward, however ten years of working in HR will prove to you that human beings by nature are more dishonest than I would like to think. One of the most common dishonest traits you would witness is when it comes to sick days. Managers get it, we are human, there is only so much we can endure before most people just want to stay in their pyjamas and not have to show up for work, and you know what that’s ok- it’s how you deal with it that really makes the difference.
For me if an employee came to me and said they really just needed a day off because they were feeling stressed out with life and work, like they were running on empty, then I would encourage they take a day off to look after themselves. Where I struggle is when employees feel that they have to tell a white lie or stretch the truth, you know what, no ones perfect, sometimes we all just need a little rest and recuperation, that is ok, just be honest with your manager.
READ ALSO: 10 Tasks Your HR Manager Should Be Completing Apart From Recruiting
2. LACK OF INITIATIVE:
Most managers these days are very busy and don’t have enough time to finish up their tasks, so it comes as no surprise that employees who will more often than not bring up an issue with their manager without even having tried to brainstorm a solution first. You need to remember your manager is there to support, guide and lead you, a good manager will not solve your issue for you but rather ask you to talk through why you believe that solution “A” is a better fit than solution “B”. So next time you are unsure or are needing a solution give it your best shot at coming up with a variety of solutions first, use your initiative and then talk these through with your manager. I assure you, your manager will be suitably impressed, it is always better to come with a problem and a potential solution rather than just a problem, bring the bomb so to speak but also bring two ways to ensure it does not detonate!
3. POOR COMMUNICATION:
More so than ever before we work in a world that relies so heavily on multiple forms of communication. As we are all working from home and virtual communication is the main way businesses operate, it can mean messages get lost in cyber space or importance of issues are missed. On a digital age we communicate at work via email, on internal chat systems, using video tool such as ZOOM. This all creates the propensity for individuals to become lazy and forget the golden rule of strong communication- make sure you gauge that the recipient is listening. This is no different for your manager, if you email them and days later still no response learn how to best work to their communication style, don’t always assume they need to adjust their style for you. If in doubt pick up the phone, you will find that so much more is achieved without the frustration for your manager of coming back from a meeting to 100 emails from staff.
Overall, try to put yourself in your managers shoes, not only are they managing a group of people to work effectively within a business to reach goals, but they are dealing with those peoples lives and emotions and trying to find that healthy balance to keep everyone happy – including their own manager! Don’t forget that we are all human and we all make mistakes, honesty is the best policy in every case and above all, communication is key!
4. HIGH MAINTENANCE, HIGH ANXIETY:
It’s one thing when you’re new to a job and need some handholding to get going. I’m actually a little bit of a slow starter myself. But some employees remain that way. They have zero self-confidence, are full of anxiety, and need to be told exactly what to do and how to do it and confirm every little thing with you for fear they might actually get it wrong and be held accountable. It’s sad, but it’s also a real problem.
5. IN EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS:
In so many organizations, there’s always an employee who’s got to be involved in everything. Outwardly, they appear helpful and eager to assist. They want to help everybody do everything. Everything except actual work, that is. After a while you realize it’s all just distractions, to feel important, or stay entertained while getting absolutely nothing done.
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