Five common mistakes that managers make

Managing people is a big responsibility. It is tough but also very rewarding as you are in a position to help people realize their full potential.

Enabling staff to be the best they can be is a lofty goal that requires a manager to first be at his or her best. A number of challenges stand in the way of a manager’s ability to realize this goal. Here is my list of five common errors managers make. Being aware of these and making a conscious effort to correct them is the first step to becoming a stronger, more effective manager.

At the top of the list is micromanaging. Staff hates being micromanaged and will often rebel against it. This is a hard habit to break, but the tendency to micromanage must be overcome if you want to be a great manager. One great way to help here is to keep on asking yourself is the task you are working on worth $200 an hour. The point being that micromanaging is not good from a management perspective but even worse from a financial perspective.

A second mistake managers make is failing to see the value and potential in each of their workers. Knowing what makes each staff member beautiful and unique helps a manager understand how to motivate and reward them. Learning to see the potential in each worker allows the manager to generate loyalty and respect.

Failing to appreciate staff is a third mistake managers make, and it is the downfall of so many. While pay is important, a manager cannot rely on paychecks, alone, to provide adequate motivation for his or her staff. Every manager must regularly go out and tell each employee how much he or she is appreciated.

A fourth mistake many managers make is becoming friends with staff. Managers cannot and should not be friends with employees as it can be perceived as favoritism by other staff members.

A manager’s credibility rests on being perceived as fair and trustworthy by their employees. If this credibility is damaged, a manager cannot manage effectively. For this reason, managers should be friendly with all staff, but not friends.

A fifth tragic error is failing to set a good example. Managers must always demonstrate the behavior they want their staff to emulate. For instance, demanding that staff be to work by 8 a.m. while managers roll in at 10 a.m. creates an ugly situation. This incongruence produces resentment, employees lose respect for the manager, and morale plummets.

These five issues can make or break a manager. They are very common mistakes but are easy to fix when you recognize the problem and make a commitment to improving your manager skills.

Now go out and make sure you are the best manager you can be. If you find you are making any of the five errors above, make a conscious effort to eliminate them from your managerial toolbox.

You can do this!

Jerry Osteryoung is a consultant to businesses - he has directly assisted over 3,000 firms. He is the Jim Moran Professor of Entrepreneurship (Emeritus) and Professor of Finance (Emeritus) at Florida State University. He was the founding Executive Director of The Jim Moran Institute and served in that position from 1995 through 2008. His newest book co-authored with Tim O'Brien, "If You Have Employees, You Really Need This Book," is an Amazon.com bestseller. He can be reached by e-mail at jerry.osteryoung@gmail.com.

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