Five Management Styles that Hurt Employee Morale
How Insecure Managers Exhibit Poor Practices in Organizations
May 12, 2009
Many of today’s managers tend to be in the baby boomer or late Generation X age. These generations have been raised in the wasteful, unsustainable promise of limitless growth where bigger, faster, stronger is equal to better. Moreover, inadequate accountability structures, as witnessed during the global financial crisis, have intensified the shaky ground of managers who feel inadequate in their positions.
As a result, insecure managers are focusing on promoting themselves at the expense of the organization. Here are some of those personality types and the impacts they can have on employees.
The Evaluator: A Negative Management Style that Diminishes the Employee
This manager has manoeuvered into position by maintaining an air of superiority. This manager's modus operandi is to constantly re-evaluate, be dismissive of and demand changes to the achievements of others. They will use their influence to prevent the establishment of achievable and consistent standards so that they can continue to make the rules.
Employees feel demotivated to challenge tasks because they anticipate rejection. They can also experience loss of self-confidence. Employees with options will seek opportunities where their efforts are appreciated.
The Chaos Maker: A Bad Leadership Style that Does Not Respect Employee Commitments
This manager drops urgent "projects" on their employees' desks. Prioritization is accomplished by making everything that passes through their field of vision the most important thing. This strategy enables them to create an environment with a false sense of urgency. Since only they can fix the problems they created in the first place, their important role in the company as a go-to-person is kept secure.
Employees will play a blame game to deflect demands placed on them, or will complain about not having enough support to avoid participating in projects they are not invested in. Some employees will relish challenging projects, but feel disillusioned if they are not properly recognized or compensated.
The Demoralizer: A Bullying Management Style that Creates a Toxic Environment
This manager spreads nasty rumours about organizational leadership, coworkers and subordinates. Some of this bullying behaviour stems from fears of their own incompetency. They enjoy correcting employees for small transgressions to reassure themselves of their superiority.
Some employees will make every kind of excuse to avoid working with this manager. Some employees will enjoy and continue to spread rumours. Many employees will resent being called on minor infractions.
The Ego: An Insecure Management Style that Fakes It
Maintaining an image is all consuming for this manager. They will have trendy business books on their shelves that they don't actually read, but like others to think they do. They will be consistently late or absent for appointments to cultivate an image of being too essential to the operations for proper time-management.
Employees desiring promotions, bonuses, or pay raises will listen with rapt attention to everything the Ego says. They will compete for attention by complimenting this manager and pledging loyalty. Some of these employees believe in this manager's image.
The Controller: A Micro-Management Style that Creates an Environment of Mistrust
This manager is obsessed with staying on top of details. They will be suspicious of any "outsiders" in their area of territorial control and demand approving authority for minor requests. The Control Freak may keep a favoured individual near them as a right hand for information. Because so much of their focus and time is spent on small details, it will be difficult to follow through on long term business initiatives that require "big-picture" thinking.
Employees that want to get out from under this kind of micro-management will lie by omission. Since the Control Freak and the right hand employee cannot be present everywhere, all the time, employees will identify gaps in which to engage in potentially "disapproved of" behaviour.
Investments in performance management systems can change this kind of workplace culture and help managers with poor skills develop their leadership potential.
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