Think you are doing everything right as a leader? There is always more to learn about leadership and the best method of motivating and communicating with your team. You may be a new or tenured manager, but you might be inadvertently annoying your team with some of your habits. Read more about these 12 things managers do that annoy their team and why they can be damaging.
It’s all about intentions vs perception, right? We all show up as leaders trying to do the best for our team and tackle any issues that come our way. But we may be inadvertently annoying to our team with some things we may say – or not say. This social awareness of your impact on the team can help you to be more emotionally intelligent. Emotional intelligence is one of the best predictors of success as a leader.
Go through a mental check list and see if you are guilty of any of these annoying manager habits.
1. People have a hard time getting a hold of you
If your door is always closed, your calendar is always jam packed, or you’re never in your office, you could be perceived as an absentee boss. Now, I’m not accusing you of hiding in a broom closet, but you do need to be accessible to your staff.
If you find yourself having to shut your office door too often so that you can get some work done, read more on how to refocus after distractions.
2. You interrupt conversations
Do you cut off good conversation to keep meetings moving along or counter someone’s point before they even finish making it? Your team has probably noticed – and they hate it.
Want to seem like a brilliant conversationalist? Talk less. (Smile more).
3. Never satisfied
You should not be like Alexander Hamilton where you are never satisfied. If there is an issue with someone’s work then set your expectations and give them room to meet them. Reconsider where “good enough” is for the sake of productivity.
4. Being too distanced/appearing detached
Authentic leadership is all about building your legitimacy with your team by showing bits of yourself – even the not-so-perfect parts. While boundaries are great, being too detached leads your team to feel that you don’t care about them or worse – think you are way better than them.
5. Being too chummy or oversharing
It’s great when you can bond with your employees, but you have to ensure that you still have boundaries. Asking someone about tourist destinations in California because they are from that state is one thing, but letting them know that you are specifically looking for nude beaches is going too far. Google that stuff yourself!
The worst thing you can do is be too close to one or two people in particular and appear to have favorites. Read more here on the dangers to your team of playing favorites .
6. Constantly frazzled
It throws people off if you constantly have one note and everything is an emergency. Remember they take cues from you on how things are going, and if everything seems to be a problem, your whole team is going to be stressed. And remember, if everything is a problem …chances are your outlook is the problem.
7. Micromanager
If you feel like a babysitter sometimes, chances are that your staff feel like children. Set up clear expectations and deadlines and hold your staff to it – but don’t hover.
8. You constantly complain about how busy you are
When it comes to things managers do that annoy their team, this one is likely up there on the most damaging. If you are constantly dropping hints about how busy you are, you are super annoying. A real leader doesn’t have to tell staff that they are juggling a lot. People can tell by your actions.
If you always appear busy, people are not going to want to approach you for support or feedback. Think of all of the missed opportunities you may have had to mentor or develop someone because you appear way too busy to be interrupted.
9. The whoops, I forgot to tell you boss
If your staff do not seem to understand new processes and changes in practice – you are the common thread. Make sure your staff know AND play with different methods of communication until you find that sweet spot on your team.
10. Super disorganized
Wait, I left that piece of paper right here? If emails tend to get missed or you get lots of emails that start with, “just a gentle reminder” you need to clean up your act. If you get annoyed waiting on an email, you better believe your team gets annoyed too!
11. Inadvertent one upping everyone
If you always have a follow up comment because you feel like you have to verbalize your expertise – cut it out! We know that you are smart, but you don’t have to be the go to expert in everything. If you want to avoid eye rolls from your staff, quiet confidence and backing up other experts is a powerful tool for your leadership arsenal.
12. Over use of business “lingo” or buzzwords
If you pepper your your day to day conversation with way too much industry speak, you are going to annoy your staff. Be authentic, be you. Leave the buzzwords for presentations.
As you can see, things managers do that annoy their team can feel like you are walking on eggshells sometimes. After all, you are human and if you said yes to one or more of these, then you now have the self awareness to improve. Be a less annoying, more awesome version of your awesome leadership self!