Mistakes Managers Make In Managing People

People management is tougher than managing any project or program and is the key to success for every project. No matter how well the planning of the project is, it is of no use unless executed properly. The execution part is done by the project team, so they need to be managed really very tactfully and carefully. Many managers lack basic training in managing people, they even lack the values, and sensitivity required to interact effectively with different types of people.

Top 5 Mistakes made by managers in managing resources

  •  Make decisions before discussing with the team members- Some managers make decisions and then ask people for their input just for the sake of asking so as to leave an impression that their feedback matters. But it is not easy to fool people every time, there are smart employees who can catch this type and get the nature of the game and drop out. At the same time it is recommended to create a process to incorporate hierarchical permission for feedbacks and suggestions. Try to make people realize that their ideas are subject to veto and encourage them for all kind of suggestions for improvement. By encouraging people to make decisions about their work, the project manager can empower his team and enhance employee engagement.
  • Fail to establish a healthy relationship your team members -Developing a relationship with reporting employees is a key factor in managing them. Nobody likes to be disliked by his team and other team members but at the same time you are not there to make friends and relations, your end goal is to deliver the project successfully. So don’t be too harsh while approving or rejecting leaves for them. Use your own discretion, all employees are not alike so be rational while allowing them leaves for genuine personal reasons.
  • Lack leadership qualities and fails to give proper directions – Good leaders can differentiate between emergency and less important task. Don’t dilute the definition of urgency by making every task a priority. This way people would stop believing in case of actual urgency, as a result it would be difficult for the manager to convince them to deliver as soon as possible in actual urgency.
  • Fail to draw a boundary for employees who report to you – You can develop warm and supportive relationships with your subordinates but don’t try to be too friendly with them. Else you will have difficulty separating the reporting relationship in a friendship. Define your limits and try not to mix your professional and personal relationship. You can go out together, but don’t mix too much that they stop respecting you.
  • Unable to communicate effectively and use of incorrect set of words – Transparent communication is the best communication. Though some information is company confidential and you are asked not to share with your team, but be very transparent and unbiased while sharing the information related to your project, share what you know. There may be few members who can come up with good ideas after knowing that information and good ideas are always helpful in continuous improvement.

It is easier to teach skills and techniques, but people management requires strong communication skills, good values, strong beliefs, and caring attitude which are hard to teach and learn for managers. But these are the underlying issues that play a key role in the success or failure of most of the managers.

 

About Aditi Malhotra

Aditi Malhotra is the Content Marketing Manager at Whizlabs. Having a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, she helps businesses stop playing around with Content Marketing and start seeing tangible ROI. A writer by day and a reader by night, she is a fine blend of both reality and fantasy. Apart from her professional commitments, she is also endearing to publish a book authored by her very soon.

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