Management Myths 1 Through 5

Take a look at these 5 simple management myths keeping Management/Supervisors from succeeding with their employees:

Myth #1: Employees belong to us while on our dime.  Individuals are hired to accomplish a set of defined/sometimes undefined tasks; they have the freedom to stay with you or go elsewhere. Employees need structure, constructive clear guidance, tools, resources and autonomy to carry out said tasks. They do not need to be micromanaged, blamed for mistakes and belittled. They do need: clear expectations for performance excellence and growth; demonstrated management trust; acknowledgement for their contributions. Bottom line: Employees belong to no one; they can leave at any time. And, companies loose their best employees for lack of treating them with respect. Your best employees excel most when they feel a sense of partnership.

Myth #2: Employees are just there for the pay. Of course getting paid plus having benefits is the primary reason most people work--One has to pay the bills, take care of self and family, etc. But, most people enjoy their profession/work and want to do their best, even make a difference. This is particularly true within industries that do not pay high wages. A little respect goes a long way.

Myth #3: Employees do not need to be praised and/or motivated after all they are getting paid for their work; that should be good enough. Wrong, everyone appreciates praise for a job well done. A ‘high five’, a note, a gift card, etc. will go a long way; a bonus will go further. An employee incentive program will definitely enrich the work environment and demonstrate respect/appreciation for employees.

Myth #4: Employees move around a lot these days, there is no point investing in their development. Wrong again, while the employee is with a company, management misses out on building/expanding skills necessary for further performance excellence and deepening commitment when they dismiss employees’ professional needs. This is particularly important in today’s ever changing environment where new skills are needed constantly to ensure long-term success.

Myth #5: Employees need to keep their personal lives and issues at home; these do not belong in the workplace. This is a nice dream but employees are whole persons with life issues, feelings, problems, joys, and yes, family. The personal cannot help but spill over into the workplace. How a supervisor responds to the employee is the key to the environment’s success. Simply acknowledging that employees have a personal life, which can be complicated at times, demonstrates caring.

Wise management: shows genuine respect for individual employees; assesses the work environment routinely; conducts performance conversations with frequency; develops employee incentive programs including skill development; and treats employees as people first asking some key questions including: What do you need in order to succeed? How can you contribute to the department and the company’s success? What do you need in order to shine and feel empowered?

Effective supervisors understand that when individual employees shine so does management and the company! Dispelling these myths may help supervisors better engage employee commitment, improve performance and increase productivity.

                    Remember: Respected employees become high performers.

I'm sure there are many more myths------feel free to share!