What an effective leader should be. Who is a good boss?

Hello! In this article we will talk about how to become a good leader who is loved, appreciated and respected by his subordinates. You will learn what qualities a person holding a leadership position should have. What are the differences between female managers and male directors? What mistakes should be avoided?

Why be a good leader

Supervisor is an effective manager. It is from his ability to establish manufacturing process and finding an approach to the team depends on the qualitative and quantitative indicators of the company, department, etc.

The concept of a “good” or “bad” boss is highly subjective. After all, you cannot find an ideal person who everyone will like. Nevertheless, the leader should be respected, appreciated and a little feared by his subordinates.

Many directors or bosses who have just taken a leadership position behave “incorrectly” and this affects the atmosphere of the team, which entails a decrease in the efficiency of each employee.

To make it clear what we mean we're talking about, Let's consider the following example.

3 days ago, a department of the company was headed by a new boss. He is quite young and came to this position from another company. As a specialist, he does not know much, but nevertheless does not want to study and learn something new. He's the Boss. Therefore, he behaves arrogantly, shifts part of his work to others and is incompetent in many matters. He considers himself an excellent leader, because he thinks that people fear and respect him.

In fact, the staff does not like him, does not value him, does not respect him and considers him an arrogant upstart. Looking at the boss, employees lose enthusiasm, and the performance of the department gradually falls. This is because everyone works on their own.

Team is a union of people who work to achieve one goal. It can be compared to a watch mechanism, where each gear is important in its own way. And the boss is the treasured key who starts the mechanism and knows how to get it working.

If you want to improve the quality of work of a department or company, earn the respect of colleagues and subordinates, then move on career ladder, then you definitely need to become a good leader. And now we’ll tell you how to do this.

Who can be a leader

In fact, good leaders are not born, they are made. At any age, a person can feel the strength of a leader. According to statistics, 4 out of 10 bosses become good leaders. This indicator is not affected by either gender or age. An excellent director can be either a young, purposeful university graduate or an elderly man with a wealth of experience.

Who is better man or woman

Nowadays, both men and women can become leaders. Women directors are tacticians, while men are strategists. It is more difficult for representatives of the fair sex to gain the authority of the team. You will have to prove your professionalism, especially if most of the employees are male.

Men are more stress-resistant. They are not so quick to go to extremes. Nevertheless, women are more attentive to their subordinates.

To clearly answer the question “Who is better?” It’s impossible, because it all depends on the person and his character. Therefore, women and men equally can and should fight for the title “Good Leader”.

Qualities of an ideal boss

In order to become a first-class leader, you need to realistically evaluate your positive and negative sides character. No one is perfect, but people in leadership positions must be able to suppress negative sides your character and develop good traits.

So, let's look at what an ideal director should be like:

• Smart;
• Master the basics;
• Responsible;
• Punctual;
• Psychologically stable;
• Human;
• Compulsory;
• Punctual;
• Be able to cope with your fears;
• Don't be afraid to take risks;
• Active;
• Trainable;
• Not lazy;
• Peaceful;
• Friendly;
• Not stupid;
• Not melancholic, etc.

Mistakes Most Leaders Make

Not every boss can be elevated to the rank of a good leader. All because they make a number of mistakes that discredit them in the eyes of their subordinates.

Let's look at the most common mistakes:

1. Lack of desire to exert yourself. Some managers, as soon as they take their position, think that they have climbed to the top of the mountain and now they can relax and do nothing, thereby shifting part of their work to their subordinates. In fact, you need to clearly understand that the higher the position, the more you will have to work. Subordinates can help you in the first days, but you must do your work yourself.
2. Failure to value employees. Every employee who does their job well deserves minimal encouragement (at least verbal).
3. Inability to organize work. The manager must thoroughly know the entire production process. Very often, due to the fact that the boss does not understand all stages of production and does not know who is responsible for what, any troubles are attributed to the unprofessionalism of the team.
4. Lack of desire to improve or learn something new. Very often, managers who have held positions for many, many years believe that they know everything and do not strive to learn and learn something new. But life and technology do not stand still. AND modern man must improve, especially the leader.
5. Assignment of other people's merits. Let's look at this error with an example. A talented employee works in a scientific laboratory who has made some discovery. Instead of talking about the achievement of his employee, the head of the laboratory tells everyone that “THEY” did it. Such a boss believes that this discovery is his personal merit, because he is a great worker if, under his leadership, the employee has reached such heights.
6. Showing rudeness and disrespect for the team. Sometimes managers don’t think about the need to control their emotions and take it out on their subordinates for any reason. Of course, there are different moments, and you really want to let off steam. But you need to learn to restrain yourself, because ordinary workers, most often, have nothing to do with your bad mood.
7. Insecurity of your employees. If a director puts his own interests above others, then he never defends his team anywhere. He does not understand controversial situations and does not look for the culprit. It is easier for him to punish people (impose a fine, reprimand, etc.) than to figure out who is right and who is wrong.

This is not the entire list of mistakes made by managers. In any case, you need to remember that subordinates are people for whom you bear a certain responsibility, and their professional failures are the failures of a manager who was unable to establish the production process.

Basic rules of a good leader

One of the founders of management, Peter Drucker, claims that in order to become a good leader, you need to use the following 5 rules under any circumstances.

Rule 1. Learn to manage your time.

Rule 2. Pay attention Special attention the end result, not the production process. Intervene less in the work of your employees. Explain to them that everyone is performing a very important process and is responsible for it. Make every employee feel like they are a little boss.

Rule 3. Use and develop strengths And positive traits yourself and your employees.

Rule 4. Always set the right priorities, bypassing unimportant tasks.

Rule 5. Make effective decisions.

Tips for those who want to become a first-class leader

Analyzing the activities of many successful leaders, we have compiled recommendations that will help every boss earn authority in the team.

• Behave “the right way” from your first day as a manager.
• Get to know the team well. Immediately after taking office, familiarize yourself with all the personal files of your employees. Try to remember their names. This way, your subordinates will see that they are not just for you. work force, and first of all people.
• Always be honest and keep your promises.
• Discuss the production process in your team more often, let your subordinates express themselves, ask them to take the initiative.
• Don't be arrogant, but be a little simpler. After all, the same people work in the team, only one rank lower than you.
• Don't scold employees in public. It’s better to reprimand a careless employee in your office.
• Praise and encourage staff to general meetings. You will provide incentive to others.
• Don't sit idle. A good leader always has a lot to do. Bad directors shift part of their work to subordinates, and then suffer from idleness.
• Don't be afraid to lose your position and let talented employees develop.
• Control your emotions.
• Rate yourself by your worst employee. After all, part of the blame for his failures lies with you. Perhaps you did not motivate him or assigned him a task that was too difficult.
• Don't be sorry Money for material incentives for staff. If people do not have an incentive (for example, in the form of bonuses for the highest performance), then they will work half-heartedly and half-heartedly. Remember what average salary Average employees work.
• Learn to resolve any domestic disputes. Do not stand by if a conflict arises in the team. Try to understand the current situation and help resolve it peacefully.
• Demand discipline. Use discipline sometimes. The main thing is that your complaints are relevant.
• Don't indulge your employees' whims. Behave kindly, but strictly. Otherwise you will be ignored.
• Show your competence and do not shift all problems to your subordinates.
• Congratulate the team on the holidays, take an interest in the health, family, and children of employees.
• Never go to extremes, and assess any situation soberly.
• Study psychology and attend psychological trainings. The healthy climate of your team depends on this.
• Determine the place of each employee in the team. For example, someone is a generator of ideas, while someone likes monotonous paperwork, and someone is an inspiration.
• Don't pick favorites. Try to treat all employees well.

Conclusion

A good leader is a kind of “lighter”. He is able to set his subordinates in the right mood, ignite the fire of enthusiasm and provoke them to do their work better and faster. The boss may not be able to do what his employees can do, but he is obliged to organize the work correctly and give correct installation subordinates.

Almost anyone can become a good leader. The main thing is to want it, not be afraid of change and constantly improve.

I bring to your attention an interesting article by Fyodor Nesterov, in which he gives a vivid image of a “right and wrong” leader.

If you want to become a good leader, you must first understand what it looks like good leader and how he behaves.

You need to imagine what his correct image is. In the media, literature and cinema, the leader is very often presented in the image of a person who goes ahead of everyone and carries everyone along with him by personal example. Like the commander who, before the attack, was the first to crawl out of the trench under bullets and shouting “Hurray! Forward! Behind me!" ran forward, hoping that his subordinates would also crawl out under the bullets and run after him. I have to disappoint you - this is the wrong image of a leader. It's just that most writers and screenwriters have never been good leaders, so they don't know what he really looks like.

If you want to better remember this incorrect image so as not to get caught, imagine it in the form of a “barge hauler on the Volga”. Remember, there is such a picture - “Barge Haulers on the Volga” - a huge barge, the only driving force Which are the exhausted people-barge haulers who are pulling this barge forward with the last of their strength by the rope? A leader who carries everyone along with him is a barge hauler. And his company is a barge, which he alone pulls behind him.

All Negative consequences This behavior is obvious:

• The strength of one person is limited, so his energy may simply not be enough to move the company forward.
• While you are working hard, you are holding back the energy of your subordinates; they are bored, waiting for a chance to prove themselves.
• As soon as the barge hauler, that is, you, stops, the forward movement will stop...

The right image The leader is completely different - his subordinates are rushing forward, and he only directs their movement and regulates the speed. The correct image is a coachman natachanke (high-speed carriage).

The cart is harnessed to horses (subordinates), who rush forward, and the coachman (leader) only directs and regulates their movement. He pulls on the reins when he wants to turn. With his voice, and if necessary, with a whip, he spurs on the horses and makes them run as quickly as he needs. By pulling on the reins, he restrains the movement, even to a complete stop, if he considers it necessary.

This behavior gives the manager significant advantages:

• The speed of the cart is determined by the number and agility of the horses, and not by the energy of the coachman.
• The coachman’s task is not to move the cart, but to determine where to go.
• If the coachman gets tired or gets drunk, in general, for any reason, breaks down and falls into the cart, then the well-trained horses themselves will take him home...

A good leader, first of all, focuses on creating and training a good team of subordinates: energetic, professional, manageable, united by a common goal. Once such a team is created, the leader focuses on defining the strategy - where to go - and organizing the ongoing management of the team. So as not to overload subordinates detailed instructions(in management jargon this is called “putting your feet up”). But, on the contrary, to place more pressure on subordinates. general tasks, giving them complete freedom to develop small parts. This frees the manager from minor hassles and gives subordinates the opportunity for self-realization.

Only after this will the company car quickly run in the direction desired by the manager, without requiring petty control on his part. And as a reward, he himself will have the opportunity to do personally what he considers important and necessary (for example, throw down the reins, fall into the cart and look at the sky).

The topic of “bosses” extends far beyond our relationships at work. It affects such important aspects a person’s personality, such as relationships with parents and authority figures, the need for love. And for this reason alone, it is simply impossible to create a portrait of an ideal leader.

Some people work well with the same leader, but others do not. For some, a tough leadership style is absolutely necessary, while others are fully able to reveal their talents only in an atmosphere of maximum freedom and comfort, and any pressure becomes a source of severe stress and disappointment for them. Some need to constantly be in contact with the leader, others prefer to keep their distance...

However, you can try to identify those features that distinguish a good boss from the point of view of modern psychology.

He knows his strengths and weaknesses

Many leaders, even high level, are in their positions rather by coincidence. At some point, they expressed a willingness to take on more responsibility or were promoted for their achievements. And all this, of course, does them credit, but does not in any way speak of their ability to manage people.

Meanwhile, a leader needs very special knowledge and skills. “Leading a team means moving from “I” to “we” and giving up part of your ego,” says coach and psychotherapist Celine Ricose. - In a certain sense, this contradicts human nature, which requires us to put our interests first. Therefore, work on yourself is necessary: ​​in order to deal with other people’s problems, you must first solve your own.”

The boss must be interested in each of his employees and show that he is attached to them

A manager must be able to organize a work process, cope with unforeseen complications, make decisions quickly, hire suitable employees, and, if necessary, move them to new positions. All this creates tension, which can only be dealt with by knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

“What irritates and angers me in people? What is my relationship with those in power? What am I afraid of? - a good leader cannot help but ask himself these questions, otherwise he will project his doubts, fears and anxieties onto others.

To become a successful boss, you have to identify your natural talents (self-discipline, the ability to delegate responsibility), and then master other skills (for example, the ability to establish communication, inspire a team, resolve conflicts) along the way.

He is friendly and brings colleagues together

It used to be that a good boss should not become attached to his employees. But today this point of view is recognized as erroneous.

“There is nothing worse than cold management,” says Philippe Rode, a doctor and founder of Wellbeing and Enterprise in France. - The boss must be interested in each of his employees and show that he is attached to them. By allowing himself these emotions, he does not undermine, but affirms his leadership and opens up the opportunity for the exchange of energy in the team.”

Tight management is effective in the short term: employees are afraid of their bosses and work harder

By listening to other people and emphasizing their importance, the leader gives meaning to the work of subordinates. However, positive feedback is still much less common than criticism. Partly because bosses fear that their softness could be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

But nothing prevents a boss from being friendly and demanding at the same time, Philippe Rode is convinced. Tight management is effective in the short term: employees are afraid of their bosses and work harder. But over the long term, this strategy does not pay off. The team loses creativity, and constant stress can cause health problems.

Speaking about the peculiarities of working relationships in our country, coach and business trainer Igor Klyuev emphasizes our ability to adapt.

“If there is a war, we form ranks and unquestioningly listen to the leadership, seeing this as a condition for survival. But if there is peace, we are waiting for care, an opportunity to relax and think about ourselves.” When top management signals, “We are in war mode,” employees are sympathetic to the tough style. “But in a non-critical situation, we want interesting challenges and opportunities to develop. And for this you need a supportive leader.”

He trusts and inspires confidence

Philosopher and educator Robert Greenleaf formulated the concept of “servant leader” back in 1970, according to which a leader serves the needs of others - and especially subordinates. Today, Greenleaf's ideas are increasingly popular.

Following the concept of servant leadership, a leader must be able to surround himself with people of diverse views, including those who can challenge him. The combination of their talents creates a team whose effectiveness far exceeds the sum of the capabilities of each of its members.

But this is only possible in a situation where the manager trusts the employees and gives them a chance to grow and prove themselves. The ability to build trust is equally important. Complaints that a manager does not keep his word and does not know how to defend his ideas and employees are among the most common topics of conversation in large companies. Especially those that strive to keep up with the times and do not skimp on staff training.

“Company employees constantly ask business trainers: do you conduct training for our bosses? - says Igor Klyuev. - Today, workers learn quickly and no longer forgive the discrepancy between words and deeds. If a top manager continues to manage the old fashioned way, talented and confident employees quickly leave the company.”

He has courage and protects the team

No matter how important trust and gentleness are, a leader cannot do without real courage. “Being courageous as a boss means being mindful of your own emotions in the face of tense situations, understanding that your words and actions have a direct impact on other people,” says Celine Ricose.

The main thing is to have a clear idea of ​​what is useful for the team. This allows you to insist on your own, negotiate and achieve success.

Obvious courage requires, for example, the ability to defend your team or stand up for your ideas in front of others. high leaders. Courage is also needed to convey bad news to a subordinate - say, that the results of work are unsatisfactory and it is worth preparing for dismissal.

However, Igor Klyuev believes that a combination of softness and rigidity is possible in resolving any issues: “When a manager explains the “rules of the game” - what he expects from employees, what goals the team has, everyone understands how to act. Anyone who breaks the rules is first warned, and if they do not act, they are fairly punished. Colleagues will not only understand and support this, but will also be upset if there is no fair punishment for the violators.”

Because cost savings and efficiency are at a premium these days, leaders sometimes have to announce decisions that conflict with their values.

“Being courageous also means being able to express disagreement,” reminds Celine Ricose. - This does not always lead to the desired results, but it often allows you to find room for maneuver. The main thing is to have a clear idea of ​​what is useful for the team. This allows you to insist on your own, negotiate and achieve success.”

The topic of “bosses” extends far beyond our relationships at work. It affects such important aspects of a person’s personality as relationships with parents and authority figures, and the need for love. And for this reason alone, it is simply impossible to create a portrait of an ideal leader.

Some people work well with the same leader, but others do not. For some, a tough leadership style is absolutely necessary, while others are fully able to reveal their talents only in an atmosphere of maximum freedom and comfort, and any pressure becomes a source of severe stress and disappointment for them. Some need to constantly be in contact with the leader, others prefer to keep their distance...

However, you can try to identify those features that distinguish a good boss from the point of view of modern psychology.

He knows his strengths and weaknesses

Many managers, even high-level ones, are in their positions rather by coincidence. At some point, they expressed a willingness to take on more responsibility or were promoted for their achievements. And all this, of course, does them credit, but does not in any way speak of their ability to manage people.

Meanwhile, a leader needs very special knowledge and skills. “Leading a team means moving from “I” to “we” and giving up part of your ego,” says coach and psychotherapist Celine Ricose. - In a certain sense, this contradicts human nature, which requires us to put our interests first. Therefore, work on yourself is necessary: ​​in order to deal with other people’s problems, you must first solve your own.”

The boss must be interested in each of his employees and show that he is attached to them

A manager must be able to organize a work process, cope with unforeseen complications, make decisions quickly, hire suitable employees, and, if necessary, move them to new positions. All this creates tension, which can only be dealt with by knowing your strengths and weaknesses.

“What irritates and angers me in people? What is my relationship with those in power? What am I afraid of? - a good leader cannot help but ask himself these questions, otherwise he will project his doubts, fears and anxieties onto others.

To become a successful boss, you have to identify your natural talents (self-discipline, the ability to delegate responsibility), and then master other skills (for example, the ability to establish communication, inspire a team, resolve conflicts) along the way.

He is friendly and brings colleagues together

It used to be that a good boss should not become attached to his employees. But today this point of view is recognized as erroneous.

“There is nothing worse than cold management,” says Philippe Rode, a doctor and founder of Wellbeing and Enterprise in France. - The boss must be interested in each of his employees and show that he is attached to them. By allowing himself these emotions, he does not undermine, but affirms his leadership and opens up the opportunity for the exchange of energy in the team.”

Tight management is effective in the short term: employees are afraid of their bosses and work harder

By listening to other people and emphasizing their importance, the leader gives meaning to the work of subordinates. However, positive feedback is still much less common than criticism. Partly because bosses fear that their softness could be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

But nothing prevents a boss from being friendly and demanding at the same time, Philippe Rode is convinced. Tight management is effective in the short term: employees are afraid of their bosses and work harder. But over the long term, this strategy does not pay off. The team loses creativity, and constant stress can cause health problems.

Speaking about the peculiarities of working relationships in our country, coach and business trainer Igor Klyuev emphasizes our ability to adapt.

“If there is a war, we form ranks and unquestioningly listen to the leadership, seeing this as a condition for survival. But if there is peace, we are waiting for care, an opportunity to relax and think about ourselves.” When top management signals, “We are in war mode,” employees are sympathetic to the tough style. “But in a non-critical situation, we want interesting challenges and opportunities to develop. And for this you need a supportive leader.”

He trusts and inspires confidence

Philosopher and educator Robert Greenleaf formulated the concept of “servant leader” back in 1970, according to which a leader serves the needs of others - and especially subordinates. Today, Greenleaf's ideas are increasingly popular.

Following the concept of servant leadership, a leader must be able to surround himself with people of diverse views, including those who can challenge him. The combination of their talents creates a team whose effectiveness far exceeds the sum of the capabilities of each of its members.

But this is only possible in a situation where the manager trusts the employees and gives them a chance to grow and prove themselves. The ability to build trust is equally important. Complaints that a manager does not keep his word and does not know how to defend his ideas and employees are among the most common topics of conversation in large companies. Especially those that strive to keep up with the times and do not skimp on staff training.

“Company employees constantly ask business trainers: do you conduct training for our bosses? - says Igor Klyuev. - Today, workers learn quickly and no longer forgive the discrepancy between words and deeds. If a top manager continues to manage the old fashioned way, talented and confident employees quickly leave the company.”

He has courage and protects the team

No matter how important trust and gentleness are, a leader cannot do without real courage. “Being courageous as a boss means being mindful of your own emotions in the face of tense situations, understanding that your words and actions have a direct impact on other people,” says Celine Ricose.

The main thing is to have a clear idea of ​​what is useful for the team. This allows you to insist on your own, negotiate and achieve success.

Obvious courage is required, for example, by being able to defend your team or stand up for your ideas to higher-ups. Courage is also needed to convey bad news to a subordinate - say, that the results of work are unsatisfactory and it is worth preparing for dismissal.

However, Igor Klyuev believes that a combination of softness and rigidity is possible in resolving any issues: “When a manager explains the “rules of the game” - what he expects from employees, what goals the team has, everyone understands how to act. Anyone who breaks the rules is first warned, and if they do not act, they are fairly punished. Colleagues will not only understand and support this, but will also be upset if there is no fair punishment for the violators.”

Because cost savings and efficiency are at a premium these days, leaders sometimes have to announce decisions that conflict with their values.

“Being courageous also means being able to express disagreement,” reminds Celine Ricose. - This does not always lead to the desired results, but it often allows you to find room for maneuver. The main thing is to have a clear idea of ​​what is useful for the team. This allows you to insist on your own, negotiate and achieve success.”

Experience of a Microsoft evangelist in Russia

To bookmarks

Alexander Lozhechkin, responsible at Microsoft for technical “evangelism” in Central and Eastern Europe, in his blog on Medium, compiled a list of mistakes that newly appointed managers make, and supplemented them with examples from his practice.

Always honestly admit your mistakes: this will dull the vigilance of your superiors and allow you to make new ones.

Mark Twain

I will follow Mark Twain's advice and talk about typical mistakes novice (and not only novice) managers. This note is especially easy and unpleasant for me to write: “I’m going to talk about the mistakes that I have made myself - and some that I continue to make. Therefore, this will be a very personal and very frank note.

Someone may recognize themselves in it, in which case the note may offend someone. But I wrote about myself, and not about someone else. Therefore, I hope that I will not offend anyone. At least I don't really want it.

First, I’ll tell you about two typical situations in which novice managers emerge. This implies growth within the company, as most often happens: hiring from the outside a person without management experience directly to a leadership position is too risky. The situation can be divided into four quadrants along two axes:

• Is the manager an expert in subject area or not.
• Is one of the team members promoted to leadership or is an external leader appointed?

Both of these sections contain a lot of interesting opportunities for successes and mistakes. I'll look at them in a little more detail before moving on to specific errors.

Appointment of the best specialist as manager

The most typical situation is when someone from the team is appointed as a leader. As a rule, it is prescribed the best specialist in Group. The best programmer becomes a team lead, the best seller- head of the sales department, the best marketer - head of marketing.

And again, the right balance is needed. Extremes do not work one way or the other. Finding the right balance, individual for each employee, is an art. This is precisely the skill of a leader.

An incident from life: we were once preparing a large conference with a plenary report big boss. I completely entrusted the preparation to a responsible, but not very experienced employee in this matter. And he got busy with other things and didn’t even pay attention to the problems that the employee was trying to tell me about. As a result, the day before the conference it turned out that the report was no good, and on the last night everything had to be completely redone.

5. I want to improve team morale.

We want to please others. The best way to like - to praise. Very often, novice managers, afraid of being rejected, try to please everyone and praise everyone. They focus on the positive and keep silent about the shortcomings, believing that talking about problems can worsen the morale of the team. This is a very dangerous mistake, as it prevents people from developing. Good news from such a manager loses trust: all he does is praise anyway?

A real-life incident: it was very difficult for me to convey criticism to my employees for the first time. I suffered for a long time. I thought they would hate me later (as they did, just a joke), and only praised me, which brought the situation to a very critical level. With some - to the point of incorrigibility.

6. I believe that the team should always be on their toes

And then managers begin to scold. No matter what happens, they are always unhappy. Did you do the project well? But they could have done even better. Have you reached your goal? So this goal was lowered. How to find the right balance between this mistake and the previous one? I once heard this definition: “Criticism is good until it starts to demotivate.” That is, there can and should be a lot of criticism. But just enough to get better.

Real life case: I decided to help the team by telling them what could be done better. At the same time, I forgot to praise for what was done well. As a result, the team was demotivated and spent the entire time trying to explain to me (and themselves) that they were great, thinking that I was simply constantly dissatisfied with them. Instead of discussing and fixing problems.

7. I'm my guy

Often, novice managers, especially in a situation where an employee from the same team has become a manager, try to maintain informal relationships with subordinates. In my opinion, this is very correct. A person is first of all a person, and then a boss. It is important not to cross the line and maintain a respectful attitude towards each other. Therefore, you should not play “your guy”, otherwise it will be difficult for you to ask your employees for results.

An incident from life: no, I didn’t make such a mistake! Haha.

8. Now I'm the boss

The opposite situation also happens, when a novice leader tries to build his authority on the conscious construction of distance: “I am now the boss.” There is nothing to comment on here, it's just funny. Although I suspect that in some areas, for example in the army, you can’t do without it. But the most important thing, of course, is to be yourself, and not someone else, be it “your boyfriend” or the “big boss”.

An incident from life: I never made such a mistake either! I spied on others.

9. Focus on results rather than developing people

Any project and any task is, first of all, an opportunity to learn something new, and not just achieve a result. A good manager, when planning a project and during debriefing, always looks at what new knowledge and skills the team can gain or has acquired. And then even the most failed project becomes useful.

They tell a story about some Henry Ford executive who failed big project and wasted a lot of the company's money. When he brought Ford his letter of resignation, he exclaimed: “I just invested millions of dollars in your education, and now you want me to let you go to your competitors?”

A real-life incident: while managing programmers on a constantly late project (nowadays it would be called a startup creating an MVP), I completely forgot that programmers need to learn new technologies, go to conferences and communicate on forums to do a good job. As a result, I lost several very valuable employees.

10. Trying to retain employees

This point is related to the previous one. Often managers try to keep their good employees from leaving. This big mistake which I myself have done several times. You need to do exactly the opposite - in every possible way help people realize themselves outside of your team.

Then no one will want to leave you. And even if he leaves, there will be a line of candidates to replace him: the best personnel will want to join a manager who helps his employees build a career. You can’t say it better than Remarque: “Whoever wants to hold on loses. Those who are ready to let go with a smile, “they try to hold on to.”

Case from life: one very good employee I tried to dissuade him from leaving our team several times. I still regret that he left, and I consider his leaving a mistake for both of us. But since then I have understood well: if someone is going to leave, they will definitely leave.

11. Confusing loyalty and devotion

Dangerous mistake. Let's remember Shakespeare and King Lear. Not always those who agree with you will be there in difficult times. And those who argue with you do not always give a pleasant feedback and protects against mistakes, they often turn out to be the most loyal companions. Disloyalty does not always mean a lack of devotion.

The consequence of this mistake is to recruit manageable employees into your team who will be loyal to you, and obstinate ones who have own opinion avoid. Special case This approach is not to hire people stronger than yourself, so as not to get caught. This is a big mistake. The caliber of a leader is determined by the caliber of the people who work for him.

An incident from life: there were situations when I did not like “dissenters”, took offense at them and sometimes even went into conflict. Fortunately, he managed to catch himself in time. Hope.

12. Make compromises when hiring

“It’s better to make a mistake and not take a good thing than to make a mistake and take a bad one” - this rule is so simple to formulate and so difficult to implement. I myself have sometimes been tempted to hire the best available. After all, at least someone is better than no one? No, that's not true.

The difference between a bad employee and a good one is not what he brings. less benefit. Its benefits are negative, it causes harm. This is why you shouldn’t be afraid to fire bad employees. By pitying them, you punish the good ones. This, of course, does not mean that dismissal should be painless and without doubt.

An incident from life: there were several of these - when I agreed to compromise with myself and take a person whose values ​​did not seem 100% correct to me. In all cases where I compromised when hiring, I later regretted it.

13. Give in to flattery and believe in your importance

When you become a leader, you have to deal with flattery - this is a medical fact. Flattery is often difficult to recognize. Therefore, it is important for managers to create an atmosphere of trust in the team, when employees will not be afraid to convey feedback that is not always pleasant. And, of course, it is very important to learn to look at yourself from the outside.

It’s also dangerous to succumb to the feeling of self-confidence that inevitably arises in the first months and years of working as a leader. However, in subsequent years it occurs even more often, especially if the career has been successful.

A real-life incident: many times I was so confident in myself and my team that I didn’t make the final push at the very end of the project, I didn’t push it, hoping that everything had already been done. But in vain.

14. Imitate instead of lead