Six signs that you are a bad manager

Having trouble getting your employees and subs to perform? The problem might not be THEM. It might be YOU. You might suck as a manager. 

Here’s a great test to see if YOU are a bad manager, from our friend Victoria Downing at Remodelers Advantage.

Most people in a management position think they are a great manager. Not just good — great!

The unfortunate truth is that most managers are far from great.

It’s the rare individual that can look at themselves and see their shortcomings.

So if you manage others in a renovations company, you should check yourself for any of these six signs that you’re a bad boss.

1. You’re supposedly surrounded by idiots.
If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself. Seriously, these morons will never amount to anything. And what’s the deal with the younger generation … do they care about anything?

If you believe you’re surrounded by idiots, then beware: the problem isn’t them. It’s you. Why? Let’s look at the three reasons why you would feel this way:

You are a control freak that is always right
You don’t have the patience to train and teach
You actually do have subpar employees (in which case why haven’t you fired them yet?)

2. Your company or team is underperforming.
Sorry to burst your bubble. If you’re not hitting your goals then more often than not the issue can be traced back to poor management.

3. You only delegate tasks.
Delegation is critical for managers, but bad bosses think this means dumping menial tasks off of their plate and onto their employees. Good bosses delegate responsibility, not tasks. This creates professional growth opportunities for your employees who are eager to be held accountable.

4. You lose your cool when it hits the fan.
After the Titanic had hit the iceberg, no one saw Captain Smith running around the ship screaming and yelling at his crew (and he had a life-threatening situation on his hands!).

Your team needs to know that everything will be all right. They need to know that they can make a mistake. Managers that lose it when things go wrong create an environment where people don’t innovate! They will always play it safe so as to avoid your wrath. And this slows company growth.

5. You never say, “good job.”
Money isn’t the only reason people work. Integrity and pride in oneself are critically important factors in job satisfaction. Recognition for a job well done is a huge motivator. Good managers know this.

6. You get defensive when people ask questions.
Bad managers want everyone to think they are infallible. This self-imposed pressure, to be a perfect superhuman, translates into overreacting when questioned.

Good managers welcome questions and encourage input from their team.