If you think you’re a tough boss, then part of your job likely involves pushing your team. Your goal is to bring out the best in them. But what if your leadership style is actually creating barriers to success?
The problem is that many leaders, who think they are tough bosses, are actually poor communicators. They believe their leadership style brings out the best in people, when it may only produce chaos.
The team may get the work done but they’ve had to spend a lot of time addressing mistakes and misunderstandings. The time spent performing damage control prevents other tasks from being completed. Consequently, this leadership style produces a net loss.
Most people don’t mind being challenged but they hate having to guess what they’re supposed to do. Over time, employees may tire of the self-appointed tough boss and decide to move to a new job.
The boss now has to get the same work done with a less experienced team.
Are you a tough boss or a bad communicator? Consider whether you fall into any of these productivity traps:
Bad Communicators Leave Out Details
You tell people to do things but you don’t relate it to the big picture. You assume that people will magically understand why a process is important. Maybe you told someone to do something but left out the deadline.
This opens the door to someone making a mistake or rushing to finish a task at the 11th hour.
The problem also occurs when new employees join the team, yet you assume they are as knowledgeable about their jobs as their predecessors.
Think of these little details like ingredients in a recipe. Without them, things just don’t taste right.
Bad Communicators Aren’t Present in the Moment
You rush from meeting to meeting and call to call. When people have questions, you’re likely multi-tasking. Your focus is not on the question.
As a leader, you’ve made the mistake of thinking that rushing around equals working effectively. Is it any wonder that people don’t know what you want?
To prevent this problem, make a commitment to fully listening to questions and find out why they are being asked. If you dislike little interruptions, then set aside times when your team can approach you with questions. Some like this method.
Bad Communicators Don’t Respond
When people email you questions or leave you a message, you don’t respond to them. This is another consequence of a packed schedule.
You mean to follow up with the person but never get around to it. The person who sent the message doesn’t know if they’re supposed to ask again or take action on their own.
This can produce delays or mistakes. It’s understandable you may be drowning in email but you need to come up with a process that allows you to respond to these messages in a timely fashion. Some like this solution.
Bad Communicators Don’t Say What They Need
Your team can’t read your mind and yet you assume they can produce this week’s winning lottery numbers.
Make sure people know how you like things done and why you like things done a certain way. If a current method isn’t working well, then gather your team and ask for solutions.
Most people are eager to help you, as opposed to facing constant uncertainty. An inch of doubt can produce miles of mistakes.
Let’s Make a Memorable Meeting
