5 Key Reasons Good Managers Are So Rare | Tobias Charles
Seek and ye shall find. Except when ye can’t.
- bad selection - the peter principle:
- lack of training - 'sink or swim' is the norm. nuff said.
- politics, competition, and managing up - jungle culture kills.
- mistaking authority for leadership - 'A boss who restricts other’s input, growth, or credit isn’t a leader. They’re a drain, sucking the talent, enthusiasm, and energy out of their team. This is jungle culture, again.
- no good examples to follow - but a list of management styles to avoid:
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“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” — Ralph Nader
We live in unprecedented times. There’s never been more training courses and management blogs. You’d think we’d be in a leadership renaissance. But individuals can only do so much.
To grow, you need guidance. You need coaching. You need the opportunity and the time to realise your potential.
Because developing as a leader is a perpetual war of attrition. You don’t just get it once and know it forever.
My first manager sucked. I took a promotion to try to change things for the better, but quickly burned out fighting against a culture of infighting and blame.
That was my first insight into why good managers are rare. Here are five more.
#1. Bad selection
We’re promoted on our past successes, not on our suitability for future roles. This is failing upwards, or ‘ The Peter Principle ’: You rise to the level of your incompetence.
In one gallup poll, companies failed to pick the candidate with the right talent a staggering 82% of the time.
The truth is most companies don’t know how to hire managers. They promote from within based on people’s ability as a line worker. Or because it’s the logical next step in someone’s career ladder. Or as a reward for achieving some arbitrary milestone or goal.
The fix is simple. Companies should focus on people’s core competency for the position of manager. Do they have the right leadership skills? How’s their temperament? Do they represent the company’s core values?
Bringing the right people in is half the battle. But it’s not everything…
#2. Lack of training
“Leadership development should not be an event, it should be a process that’s integrated into the fabric of the organization.” — Kevin Kruse
Many people step into management with the right attitude. But their enthusiasm can quickly diminish as the day-to-day stresses of management build.
Without the right training, we rely on the things that made us good at our last job. But excellent job performance as an employee rarely translates to excellent performance as a manager.
“Effective management requires a different skill set than being a productive individual contributor.” — Daniel Pink
Companies need to invest in initial training that covers not only the classic management skills like organisation and data management, but also the modern skills so essential for managing in the 21st century[1]. These include:
- People skills (patience, respect, collaboration, conflict resolution, motivation)
- Reflective skills (self-awareness, personal development)
- Communication skills (how to give information, how to receive it, and active listening)
- Emotional skills (managing anxiety / ego / insecurities, EQ, compassion / empathy)
- Leadership skills (decisiveness, developing others, strategy)
And don’t front-load the training. Development should be seen as an ongoing, never ending journey. As managers gain experience, they gain context. This helps new ideas take root. It’s impossible to understand, digest, and implement everything you learn in your first few weeks. But it’s never too late to learn more.
Too many companies rely on a ‘sink or swim’ approach to promotion. Management culture, with adequate training, would be a big step towards limiting the damage of this, and ensuring tomorrow’s success.[2]
#3. Politics, competition, and managing up
Companies can be cut-throat. In such cultures, bosses are often more motivated to chase credit, kiss up to their superiors, and avoid blame than actually getting the right thing done for the right reasons.
Anyone promoted into this is quickly swaddled by it. The best move on and the worst become stuck. Pretty soon the culture creeps towards further negative actions: power games, finger pointing, the monopolising of credit, and the avoidance of responsibility.
If managers are too worried about looking good and getting ahead — on building their own brand and influence — who will get the right work done?
#4. Mistaking authority for leadership
“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.” — Simon Sinek
Too many people let power go to their head. They get a little bit of authority and start ruling with an iron fist. Previously rational, fair people can suddenly embrace ruthless authoritarianism.
So without effective, ongoing leadership coaching in place, the negative culture can manifest in corruptible leaders.
“The more power a leader has, the more important it is for them to be held accountable for their actions. Without accountability, corruption is almost inevitable.” — Brian Klaas
A boss who restricts other’s input, growth, or credit isn’t a leader. They’re a drain, sucking the talent, enthusiasm, and energy out of their team.
True leadership is raising the level of everyone you’re responsible for. Your job is to inspire and lead them to their best.
#5. No good examples to follow
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.” — Albert Einstein
Actions speak louder than words.
So if leaders aren’t taking the time to reflect and grow, but instead perpetuate outdated management styles, what hope is there for the leaders of tomorrow?
Some examples of outdated management styles that are endemic in the modern workplace:
- Punitive management — Using bullying, threats, and punishments to control others and ensure compliance
- Mushroom management — “Feed them sh*t and keep them in the dark” — a lack of transparency and communication means staff fumble in the dark, unaware of how their work impacts the company’s mission
- Micro-management — Fails to develop individual accountability or agency, leaving staff unable to develop requisite skills, and managers being stretched and unable to think about the larger mission
- Self-focused — Managers worrying only about their development and credit, ignoring the needs and development of the team
But things can change. The new generation of leaders need to have the critical thinking skills to evaluate why these are ineffective, and the good sense to find alternatives.
So what next?
If you’re a leader, invest in your people.
Cast your mind back to your first few weeks. Whatever was good, repeat. What hindered or hurt your progress, remove or fix.
It’s a gradual process, but I’m positive about the future.
The pandemic shone a light on how important leadership is, and what happens when it’s neglected.
The easy part was realising there’s a problem. But now we’ve seen the problems, what are we going to do about it?
“The scarcity of good leaders is not due to a lack of talent, but rather a lack of investment in leadership development.” — Simon Sinek
New to leadership or want to learn more? Here are some great places to start:
6 Simple Things Effective Leaders Don’t Do
7 Brutal Leadership Truths Most People Learn the Hard Way
4 Avoidable Ways Companies Drive Their Staff Unbelievably Insane