|
Back
Five Reasons Why
Managers Fail
Robert C. Cederdahl, CPCM
Failure! It's every manager's
terror. Whatever
the reason for the career fall, it's considered shameful
and scarring. So much so that managers who fail on the
job often spend more time hiding the fact than examining
WHY it happened. Yet, nearly every manager trips as
he or she moves along in life. A study of almost 200
executives found that virtually all had suffered "hardship
experiences" . . . from missed promotions or opportunities
to firings and business failures.
- Inability to Get Along
Poor interpersonal skills (relationships & communication
skills) represent the single biggest reason for failure
- and the most crucial flaw to recognize and remedy.
Managers typically can't inspire and win the loyalty
of underlings because they aren't good listeners,
don't give and take criticism well, and view conflict
as something bad instead of something inevitable that
has to be handled.
- Failure to Adapt
The inability to adapt to change is the fatal flaw
of the manager who clings to a once-successful management
style long after it stops producing results (the '80
& '90's). It's also an increasingly prevalent
cause of failure for managers in scores of corporations
that have restructured or been acquired. (This century
is a time to adapt - to return to proven & successful
values!)
- The "Me Only" Syndrome
Every manager wants to be recognized and rewarded
for his or her efforts. But some are too preoccupied
with themselves. These are the managers whose overriding
concerns are how much credit they're getting, how
much money they're making and how fast they're moving
up the corporate ladder. Managers have to be authentic
team players in today's leaner environment.
- Fear of Action
Halfhearted managers may be limited by their inability
to put themselves on the line. They may be diligent
workers with great new ideas but without the passion
or conviction to sell them to their superiors or workers.
Underlying this lack of commitment is fear of failure.
Such managers try to prevent a fall by avoiding action
- but in doing so actually hasten their own demise.
- Unable to Rebound
Managers who succeed early in their careers but then
are unable to weather a setback aren't all that unlike
those who reach the top. Both groups are incredibly
bright and ambitious and make many sacrifices. But
those who don't rebound tend to react to failure by
becoming defensive, trying to conceal it or blaming
others. In contrast, the successful managers admit
where they've erred and try to correct it.
|
