While it is true that mistakes offer us great opportunities to learn, it's still better to not make mistakes at all, especially if you are holding a leadership role in your organization.
In this article, we'll talk about 5 of the most common management errors leaders are likely to commit and what you can do to avoid them. Learning these things early on in your career as a manager will spare you from a lot of trouble.
1. Failure to provide feedback
When you're not able to give prompt feedback to your people, it's like depriving them of the opportunity to become better and perform better. You have to make them aware of what they are doing wrong because unless they are formally informed of the problem, they will continue making the same mistakes in the future.
2. Not being there for your people when they need you
As a leader, you have so many things to do and think about, so it's going to be hard for you to be available to your team. Yes, there are deadlines to beat, but you have to make an effort to have time for your people. If you're consistently not available when they need you, they won't get the support and guidance they need to be able to complete their tasks correctly.
To avoid this mistake, block out time in your schedule for your people. Have time to talk to them personally and listen to their concerns. Be aware of their needs so they would know they can count on you when they need your help.
3. Being excessively hands-off
There is always a possibility that one of your team will misunderstood a task or a project's specification. When you don't stay in touch with this member while he or she is working on it, you won't be able to spot their mistakes, and it may be too late for you to correct those in the end.
Micromanagement is something that many leaders want to avoid. Yes, you shouldn't micromanage your people, but this doesn't mean that you should not care at all! It's important that you keep the balance just right.
4. Being very and too friendly
Many managers want to be seen as "cool" managers. They believe that this is key to keeping their people happy. Yes, workers are happier with a friendly manager, but you have to remember that there are tough decisions you need to make regarding some people in your team. You don't want your friendship with a member make it hard for you to do the right thing. You also don't want any of them to take advantage of your friendship with them.
Again, this doesn't mean you shouldn't try to socialize with your workers anymore. The success of your team is also affected by the kind of relationship you build with them. You just need to keep the balance between being the boss and being a friend.
5. Misunderstanding what motivates people
You may think that money is the ultimate motivator of employees. But well, it is NOT. Many leaders are wrong in assuming that their people are working only to make money.
You have to understand that there are many other things that can keep a person motivated and engaged in their jobs or careers, such as career advancement, work/life balance, and so on. As a manager , it is your job to determine what drives your people to work with dedication and use them to keep them inspired and motivated.