Skip to main content

What are the qualities of a bad manager?

We’ve all have managers we’ve loved who were supportive, taught us how to do our job well, and trusted us to do it. However, many of us have also had managers who have made us want to head for the door. Whatever you do, don’t be that manager!

Perhaps you are a company owner who has managers reporting to you. Use this list to consider whether problems may be due to the workers or the managers over them. Having bad managers doesn’t just make work uncomfortable. Bad managers are bad for business.

Related Videos

Here are some qualities of a bad manager to be on the lookout for. If you see any in yourself, consider how you may improve.

Micromanaging

This seems to come to the top of almost every worker’s list of bad manager traits. Micromanagers may think they’re being conscientious and detail-oriented, but they’re not trusting their teams to do the things they’ve entrusted them to do. Signs of micromanagement include requiring lots of meetings and approvals for each step of a project. If the goals would still be met without these checks, you may be holding the reins too tightly. You’ve hired workers for their skills and expertise. Trust them.

Poor Communication Skills

A manager’s primary duty is to make sure that the work gets done effectively. That means communicating what needs to be done, when it should be done, and the standards by which it will be measured. Managers may need to mediate between workers or departments, as well as with customers. If workers frequently end up making the same mistakes, it could be a sign that their boss hasn’t been instructing them correctly. 

Unapproachability

Some managers think being placed in management is all about the title or the higher salary. They don’t realize that they are there to be facilitators. Maybe they have anger issues. Maybe they have other unresolved issues that have nothing to do with work. Maybe they’re just shy themselves. Whatever the reason, some workers just find some managers hard to approach when problems occur. 

Lack of Preparation

Managers need to place the team in a position to win. That means giving the team members what they need to get the job done, whether that means tools, instructions, money, supplies, or paperwork. If managers haven’t taken the time to figure out what the team needs, everyone loses. This kind of manager may be overwhelmed or under pressure. 

Blame-shifting

Things happen. Sometimes they happen because a worker made a mistake or because a boss didn’t give instructions. Sometimes they happen because of an inefficient process. When good managers run into problems, they look for solutions; they don’t look for someone to blame. Managers who blame shift may be insecure about their abilities or their value within the organization. 

Credit-taking

While some bosses like to shift blame when something goes wrong. Other — or perhaps the same — bosses like to take credit when something goes well. Workers enjoy having their work appreciated. They’re more likely to contribute when they’re acknowledged. Nothing shuts down teamwork and collaboration than team members feeling like their ideas are going to be stolen. Like blame-shifting managers, those who take undue credit are often insecure. If this is you, relax! Managers with high-performing team members also get ahead! You can move beyond blame-shifting and credit-taking by learning how to promote growth and personal development in the workplace.

If any of these sound like your or the managers beneath you, don’t despair. None of these traits are innate or unfixable. Here are some steps that will help you go from being a bad manager to becoming a leader.

Editors' Recommendations

Entertainment for children as parents are working from home
home office baby friendly man working child

Nowadays parents are officially working from home. You want to be able to work at home with no distractions, noises, or messy surprises. You get to have your office space but sometimes you have to deal with distractions. Your child gets to learn science, art, and world-building. You are the parent who wants the best for your child and who works hard for your child. You want your child to receive education and food in their belly. You love to see your child enjoy learning new experiences out in nature, education, and fun activities. You want the items that helps keep your child busy while you are busy.

The five items listed above will give you the best ideas to make your child’s life more exciting while you work. Your child’s childhood will not last long, before you know it, they are growing up. You want what is best for your child and a day without distractions. The paintbrushes, binoculars, teepee tent, giraffe mirror, and swing brackets will give your child the entertainment they need while you work. Painting teaches your child art, exploring nature teaches your child to connect with nature, the giraffe mirror shows your newborn’s first reflection, and the swing brackets help your child build upper body strength. You can stay busy and continue to work.

Read more
Items that you need for your electronic devices during work

We live in a modern society that relies on technology even more than ever before. We use cell phones, iPads, laptops, smartwatches, and computers. We are living in a virtual time that careers and schools are going remote and virtual. We use electronic devices to stay active, healthy, keep in touch, and go to important meetings. It is becoming an essential part of our daily lives for our careers and education. Children no longer have snow days and can have classes online. People no longer have to relocate themselves for a career instead they can work remotely from where they live.

Our electronic devices are what we use every day. People use electronic devices for work, school, time, and staying active. People can keep in touch with someone from the other side of the world. They rely on electronic devices so much that they cannot afford to lose them or for their devices to die. Electronic devices are how we submit projects, assignments, blogs, ideas, or job applications. They no longer have to go to an interview physically, but they can interview for their job in the comfort of your home. That is why we need electronic devices for our daily lives and careers.

Read more
5 products to manage pain while at the office
9099 the best seat cushions for tailbone pain cushion

The pain in the back you got from doing yard work or exercising doesn’t take time off to let you work in peace. Unfortunately, if you have aches and pains, you carry them everywhere. It can become distracting at work and make it tough to be productive.
You’d probably love to simply hire a masseuse to come to your office and work on any kinks mid-day, but that’s likely not an option. There are more subtle, office-friendly ways to manage pain while you work. A few products can help you feel better and stronger as you power through your to-do list.
Try these five products for pain management at work.

Experiencing pain at work can make it difficult to get your job done. It’s understandable that you are so focused on back soreness or plantar fasciitis that you can’t tick items off your to-do list like you usually do. Some products can help soothe and reduce pain, and your colleagues may not even notice. Compression socks and sleeves and support belts are subtle. Pillows can not only reduce pain but prevent stiffness in the first place, and using a heating or ice pack on and off can also help. If you’re in severe pain, see a doctor. They can help you feel better and advise further treatment, such as making an appointment with a physical therapist.

Read more