The number one mistake made by managers
This is the number one mistake made in high performance teams
The number One mistake made by managers in business is when the team start to escalate problems too readily or too regularly the manager feels the need to step in to “help” (read micromanage the situation)
This is a misinterpretation of the escalation as a legitimate cry for help, but it can create two potentially bad long term problems within a team
1: A ‘rod for the managers back’ –
The manager makes a ‘Rod for their own back’ because whenever there is a problem the salesman escalates it and someone else (the manager) solves it for them – ‘easy life’ no risk
2: A team who can’t think –
A team who can’t or won’t think for themselves, who won’t take risks are blinkered and limited.
This type of intervention also creates issues with resilience. Dealing with life’s little roadblocks.
The best learning
The best learning happens when the manager insists that the employee offers a solutions to the problem – this also helps the manager assess the relative developmental progress of the employee.
You can always offer suggestions and ideas that the employee has not currently seen – which may help broaden their commercial perspective.
Building Grit and resilience
The ability to imagine and assess the potential solutions to anticipated and actual ‘roadblocks’ in the workplace or indeed life in general is one of the major grit and resilience building strategies.
When managers ‘take the bait’ and let the staff off the hook too soon, they deny their staff one of the most effective learning opportunities that comes from the struggle of exploring solutions to problems.
Take a breath
So take a breath… Ask them What is their suggested solution?
What other solutions have they thought about?
What risks do they perceive ? (Offer any experience based advice you may feel necessary)
Ask them – Out of 10 how likely is this solution going to succeed. (Dependent upon the response, perhaps you might want to ask Is there anything we could do to move it closer to a ten?)
Do you need me to do anything?
Then congratulate them on a good choice – wish them luck and agree when they will let you know what happened .
Job done ✅
If you need any help refocusing or helping your team win in your market place – you know where I am 👍
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