The content starved News media have reported that some senior people have been accused of bullying.
I am old fashioned enough to view the bullying of a subordinate as quite repulsive. But I do fear our media-driven culture has begun to laud the bully.
TV presents us with so many bullying examples, with a view to make compulsive behaviour.
Do we see this bullying as strong management? Do you think powerful people should shout abuse and push you around?
Of course, managers get stressed: surrounded by incompetent people, knowing everyone is lazy and that the only way to get something done is to do it yourself, is terribly stressful!
Obviously, the source of the stress is their poor managerial performance. If they had competent people, who wanted to work and were instructed adequately, a lot of the stress would evaporate.
The manager’s job is to manage the people. If the people are incompetent, lazy, de-motivated or unskilled it is still the manager’s fault. Sometimes a new manager will have to address these issues.
If the manager is surrounded by the willing and competent, what else goes wrong?
Lack of communication is the key.
People need to know what needs to be done and also the why and when.
Do I need to enumerate the results of SMART objectives, targets and managing the numbers only?
When we manage people, we should remember two things.
- We rent their behaviour for the working day, so we have a right to expect satisfaction
- Human beings contain a Divine spark and must be treated in a respectful way
Too many managers are afraid to talk to their people as equals about their performance.
As a result, opportunities to improve performance are lost until the manager boils over with rage, at the stupid, lazy and incompetent waste of space standing before him or her!
What can you do to avoid bullying behaviour? Here is a checklist.
1. I speak to all my direct reports every day, in person not by message.
2. I know the names of all my direct reports’ partners
3. I talk to my direct reports about their performance informally every week
4. I ask what I can do to help when one of my direct reports fails at something
5. I know, if I explain, my direct reports will work hard to overcome any obstacles
6. I never feel angry toward my direct reports for their behaviour
7. I never raise my voice in anger when talking to my direct reports
8. I know the personal hopes and fears of my direct reports
9. I recognise my performance is the sum of my direct reports’ performance
10. I know my direct reports feel personally valued by me
The workplace is no place for the bullying manager.
It isn’t effective.