“Roughly 50 to 70 percent of how employees perceive their organization’s climate can be traced to the actions of one person: the leader. More than anyone else, the boss, creates the conditions that determine people’s ability to work well.”

“Primal Leadership (2002)” Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee

Managing and Mentoring

Are you a mentor or a tormentor to your staff? Employees often talk about experiencing the latter and wishing they had the former. To be an effective manager you need to refine your coaching and tutoring skills. You need to make an effort to challenge and develop your staff to think for themselves and grow in their capabilities. This independence and growth allows them to perform to their best potential.

Here are ways NOT to Mentor and Tutor…are you guilty?

1. Telling Employees How to Do Their Jobs

2. Giving Employees Solutions without Getting Their Input

3. Making Decisions That Employees Could Make For Themselves

4. Jumping in to Handle Situations Your Employees Are Paid to Handle

5. Criticizing Your Employees For Their Mistakes

Besides creating dependency, the above common management behaviors discourage employees from taking action. They create a wait-and-don’t do approach. “Just wait till the boss tells you what to do – remember what happened last time you tried something and made a mistake?”

This is not what you want your troops to be thinking!