Can we give managers some support, please?

Workplace teams must aid supervisors, but first some self-assessment may be in order

What’s bothering managers these days? Well for one thing, they get flak from both sides — from upper management and from the people they manage. They tend to be among the first to get the blame when things go wrong, and often don’t get the support they need to perform the daily miracles that are expected from them.

One day they are deemed to be “the best” at whatever they do…and on the strength of that, they’re promoted to manager. And then suddenly they’re expected to know all about human resources issues, communication, handling people, unions and myriad other topics.

Do they complain and possibly risk losing their new hard-worked-for position or the respect of upper management? Or do they struggle on, doing the best they can?

They can seek training in their own time to learn effective people handling skills, and many managers do this. However, if you take an honest look at an overall organization, you’ll probably find many department heads in the same position — good at what they do, but lacking the skills needed for effective management. In this case, clearly training becomes an organizational issue rather than an individual one.

One step managers can take to make their jobs easier is to take a long hard look at their own areas of weakness. They need to be honest with themselves, and ask their staff for their honest opinions, as well. Instead of the manager feeling all alone in the improvement stakes, it can become a departmental responsibility, with everyone taking a look at what they can contribute to make the department more efficient.

After all, the whole point of improving the manager is to help the department work better. The focus should be on what is already working, and what can be built upon.

For those things that are definitely not working, a team brainstorm is in order. Does the team feel it needs more training? Greater autonomy? More, or better, supervision? More feedback?

Then, the manager should let staff know what she needs from them. For some, it will be to just get on with the job and only bother the manager when there is a problem. Others will ask for weekly reporting on the status of certain projects. In any case, the employees need these requirements spelled out, too, because no one is a mind reader.

When the lines of communication have been improved, the role of manager will immediately become easier; it will become more like coaching or mentoring in which each participant gives, and is afforded, respect.

Experience has shown that employees respond better to coaching and mentoring techniques than they do to the traditional management methods. That means never being too busy for staff, never being too self-important, and making time to be their team leader. It means paying attention to what they say and taking the time to listen and learn from and with them.

Managers sometimes feel they have to be all things to all people. It doesn’t have to be that way, if a focus is put on the team instead.

Terri Levine is a personal and business coach, speaker, and author of “Stop Managing, Start Coaching” and “Work Yourself Happy.” She can be reached at 1 (800) 457-8746.

To read the full story, login below.

Not a subscriber?

Start your subscription today!