How to spot an unproductive suck up manager /executive
How to spot an unproductive suck up manager /executive………who will ……look busy but do nothing to offer to productivity of the organization.
Bias against team work actions
There are always many reasons not to take a decision or take own decsions without consulting stake holders. Real leaders/managers display a constant bias for action while the incompetents wait for more information, more options and more opinions and meetings and delayed plans.
Secrecy
Beware of a manager who always fights against telling his colleagues / his own staff about what's happening, worrying he is in competition with them or it will distract or confuse employees. Very few matters in business must remain confidential and good managers can identify those easily and share it quickly.
Over looking
Managers must see a problem, address it head on, and move on. If the manager is afraid to raise issues with employees via a lesser conformation approach of Email or does not do a direct conformation but ignore the issue because it might hurt their friends / co workers feelings, problems won't be resolved…………..issues will get escalated to major issues
Love of procedure
Managers/executive who cling to the rulebook to harass workers or delay operations or harass each other have forgotten that rules and processes are meant to expedite business and motivate employees not ritualize it that they develop a resistance syndrome. "Love of procedure often masks a fatal inability to prioritize - a tendency to polish the silver while the house is burning,"
Preference for weak candidates
When a choice has to be made between candidates for ensuring a business result , friendship with a weak manager will never get business and a weak manager will also often avoid super-competent recruits in favour of junior or weaker alternatives. Good managers know you must hire people smarter than yourself but weak managers can feel threatened by such folk. As a result a weak manager will always have more weaker subordinates in terms of competencies.
Looking Busy doing nothing
You will find them sitting at work station with laptops looking busy doing nothing, when somebody is not noticing will prefer socializing or playing games. There are always at least 10 percent in any organization.
Focus on small tasks
Unable to handle their actual job, they get lost in preparing perfect policies, spreadsheets and making sure planning or presentation data is completely up-to-date. What is lacking is follow up on those planning presentation with own vigorous follow ups and project interactions with team/ customers and seniors or other department .
Allergy to deadlines
A deadline is a commitment, but some managers cannot set and stick to deadlines or honor commitments. There is no respect for other's time
Inability to hire former employees
If you hire a new manager who doesn't attract new recruits from the previous company, it's a sign that manager hasn't mentored others or won their respect. While conducting interviews I always seek his followers details from a good Project manager and not only his referrals from customers .
Addiction to consultants
A good way to put off wasting time money and not making decisions is to hire consultants/external agencies and do your own job via them, and so often this is a route a weak manager will take. When the consultant's report comes in, it also can chew up time. Best is identify managers /executives who have been part of the process in any company and they can generate lot of new ideas , try it……..
Late coming/ Long hours
Bad managers/executives come late after one /two hours /noon and project work long hours. "They think this is a brand of looking busy but it is probably the single biggest hallmark of incompetence. To work effectively, you must be punctual , come in time , prioritize and you must pace yourself. The manager who boasts of working late evenings or late nights and no time off cannot manage himself or his staff work also so you'd better not let him manage anyone else,".
Double standards
There is another brand of manager i have realized that take as many weekly offs/half days/ Saturdays by making sure all fits in rules and polices made by them. SMART but it is noticed .
