12 Signs That You May Be A Bad Boss
Nobody wants to believe that they are the problem. That’s why it is so difficult for bad bosses to admit that they really are a bad boss. It is though, a common problem, and that’s bad for businesses, for organizations, and yes, for churches. That’s why, if you supervise or are responsible for people, a little introspection now and then is a good thing. Let’s take a look at several indicators that you may be a bad boss.
12 Signs You May Be A Bad Boss
- Your group is consistently missing deadlines. If you, your department, or your individual reports consistently fail to meet agreed upon deadlines, it is a direct reflection on your leadership as a supervisor.
- Your group is consistently not reaching goals. Sooner or later, ineffective supervision will trickle down and affect the entire team or department. Whatever the metrics are for your organization, poor performance can usually be traced back to a supervisory problem.
- Your employees don’t ask for your advice. A sure sign that your employees don’t have confidence in your leadership is when they stop asking for your advice or counsel.
- Your employees are unhappy. Regardless of how insensitive or self-absorbed you are, bosses know when their employees are miserable. In most cases that unhappiness can be traced back to you!
- Your boss is applying pressure. When your boss thinks there may be a problem with your leadership, he’ll inevitably turn up the heat and see what happens. So, if you notice your boss putting applying increasing pressure on you, it’s a sign that something’s up.
- You are applying pressure. If you are experiencing an increase in stress and anxiety from the pressures of your position, then you’ll likely take it out on those you supervise.
- Your decision making is suffering. One of the most obvious signs of poor leadership is poor decision-making. After all, decisions generate actions, actions generate results, and results are highly visible to everyone.
- Your relationships are suffering. When employees distance themselves from you, talk about you behind your back, or if your interactions are increasingly combative, it’s a good sign you have lost respect.
- You are accused of micromanaging. When your direct reports consistently accuse you of being overly engaged in their work, it may be a sign that you are micromanaging.
- You are having difficulty retaining good employees. When good people don’t want to continue to work for you, it is a sign that your leadership is compromised.
- You are having difficulty hiring good employees. When you have difficulty in hiring good people to work for you, it is a sign that word is out that you damaged goods.
- You or your group are not being recognized for good work. Good work typically leads to some type of recognition of those results by others. If you or your team are not being affirmed by peers, stake holders, or other leaders it is a sign you are an ineffective leader.
On any given day, all bosses can experience these symptoms. It’s when they become chronic, or you are experiencing several simultaneously that you should step back and assess what is going on. In our next post we will take a look at what you can do if you discover that you are an ineffective boss.
Posted on October 25, 2022
