Updated: Nov 13, 2020
Carlos Raposo works with companies of all sizes, from new trainees to C-level executives, to help them achieve better leadership, change more effectively, stage effective turnarounds, improve their workplace culture for happier, energized, more effective employees, and supercharge their overall forces of success. (c)2020 carlosraposocoaching.com All rights Reserved
Updated: Oct 17, 2020
Many new and middle managers feel severely limited by their boss. They end up responding like pinballs in a pinball machine, being bounced from one thing to another, never feeling in control of their solutions, decisions, and actions.
Many top executives get caught up in delegation, scapegoating, taking credit when things go well, but blaming others when they don't. These leaders make employees feel like they aren't doing enough, always need to improve, and nothing they do is ever enough.
There is little if any praise, validation of a job well done, or good will that will encourage the team member to do their best. A controlling boss that micro manages, where it seems no good deed ever goes unpunished, can leave a middle manager or worker frozen in his or her tracks, unable to be creative or have the confidence to solve problems.
In these situations, you have to manage up. The first step is to override the feelings you have as a result of being subject to toxic management skills. Realize you may not be doing much that is wrong. Your ideas and actions could be right on target. It could be your boss's difficult management style that is causing all the criticism and lack of recognition.
I often discuss this with executives, managers, and teams. I see us as computers with an operating system. Just like a computer, we get viruses that cause us to think and behave in unhealthy ways.
Most computers automatically run a virus scan at night that catches problems and corrects them. Unfortunately, we humans don't often upload a new operating system for optimal outcomes in leadership, business, and life.
When I work with companies, our goal is to create self awareness, knowledge, and coachability to quarantine the virus and fix the problem. You quickly see what you've been doing wrong, why it isn't working, and enlightening ways to move forward with far greater success.
In my seminars, training and coaching, we build greater awareness and create corrective "uploads" for individuals, leaders, and others.
Managers sometimes feel if they want something done right, they must do it themselves. At first this may work. A few projects are completed by an experienced expert who knows exactly what the company needs.
But very soon, you get overwhelmed, work quality starts to slide, and you feel burned out. Life/work balance suffers as do relationships and quality of life.
It's right at this critical time that your boss gives you more work because he knows you will do it right. The overwhelmed feeling gets worse and the entire experience spirals out of control.
We work to set boundaries with methods to effectively delegate. Rather than letting your team try to look busy while you do all the work. Teach them how to complete it to the expected standard. You learn how to smartly hand off work to others without the usual "do me a favor" that fails to do delegation right.
You can make big changes in your effectiveness by being aware of the social and psychological conditions around you. This varies from one person to the next. For many it means responding with the correct facial expressions and words. Then demonstrating a positive attitude and approach for your team to emulate.
You build a much more positive atmosphere that empowers everyone and gets far more accomplished with greater quality and success. All while you enjoy a better work/life balance.
(c) 2020 carlos raposo & carlosraposocoaching.com . All rights reserved.
Carlos Raposo works with companies of all sizes, from new trainees to C-level executives, to help them achieve better leadership, change more effectively, stage effective turnarounds, improve their workplace culture for happier, energized, more effective employees, and supercharge their overall forces of success.
Updated: Oct 13, 2020
A while back, during a training event, I saw a situation where one company's employee was highly motivated. This guy loved what he did. He was happy to put in extra hours, passed up vacations, and never took a sick day.
When it came time for his quarterly review with the manager, he was given 5 stars. After all, what more could an employer ask for. This worker was great at what he did and totally committed to excellence.
But later the regional manager differed with the review. He felt it didn't give the employee motivation for improvement. "Give him 3/3.5 stars on a few things. Then he will feel like he needs to improve," the regional manager said.
The regional guy didn't really understand the nature of the worker in question, the manager under him or how to lead with and apply emotional intelligence in the workplace. This worker was filled with positive emotion and goodwill. Nobody worked harder or was more into creating excellence.
Instead of trying to make the worker feel like he wasn't good enough, a great leader would try to SUSTAIN that excellence to make it last for years to come.
The regional manager was actually punishing the guy in hopes he would catch an even bigger fever for excellence. But, instead, he was missing a major opportunity.
This was a key learning moment where the company can understand why one employee exemplifies excellence, then duplicate that emotion and spread it throughout the company.
As a leader in your company, be certain to deliver the right feedback. That often means reinforcing the employee's positive actions. Look for excellence in their work, then support them to maintain that excellence. In most cases, workers will try even harder to give you more of what you are reinforcing.
This can create improved emotion throughout your organization and help brand your Communication Climate. Your culture becomes more positive, more rewarding, and more worthy of each individual's best efforts. I call this a Zone of Excellence.
Please contact me to discuss your efforts to create excellence. I can help you with training sessions, role play, question and answer and much more. Learn how to be a more skillful leader who uses and applies emotional intelligence to take your people and business to a much higher level of success.
(c)2020 carlosraposocoaching.com All rights Reserved
Carlos Raposo works with companies of all sizes, from new trainees to C-level executives, to help them achieve better leadership, change more effectively, stage effective turnarounds, improve their workplace culture for happier, energized, more effective employees, and supercharge their overall forces of success.