I was in the lounge at an airport a few months ago and heard a voice that I recognized. On the phone with their office, one of my clients was in a three-way call with two employees. Everyone within earshot could hear this side of the conversation and it wasn’t going well for the employees, based on the speaker’s impatient, critical tone. I thought to myself, who talks to staff this way? It then occurred to me, I have, and many others I know.

This article is about the lessons learned in managing others that may benefit seasoned, capable executives, as well as newly minted managers. If you’re on the receiving end of bad management practices, it will show you are not alone. Regardless, it is intended to help identify and start improving practices that make for weak performance, toxic work environments, and demoralized people.

To manage employees effectively it?s important to realize that human beings, including those with whom we work, will test our patience at times. People will make mistakes they should know better not to make. Everyone — employers, supervisors, volunteers, staff — will have really bad days where fatigue, frustration, or foibles push us to the limit of reasonable behaviour and beyond.

These ten observations from my experience and others whom I’ve consulted on this subject, should help you recognize that when we become stressed about work, it is the people who bear the brunt of management malpractice.

1. The Golden Rule

There are at least 13 religious faiths that share what many in North America and Europe call The Golden Rule. In its essence, the Golden Rule is about treating other people the way you would want to be treated. This approach to life and interaction with human beings has direct relevance to management. “Praise in public, correct in private” is in that vein. At all times, a manager should be respectful and dignified in dealings with employees and volunteers. Even in performing that most difficult task of terminating someone’s employment there is call for professionalism. Above all, create a positive work environment. The stresses of daily life are incessant and it is the responsibility of every manager to create an environment that is conducive to getting work done; that includes a workplace where people would want to be.

2. Ask for advice

I asked several individuals across several generations what they see as the most common mistake made by their managers. It is not drawing on the talent of your team. This manifests itself in various ways: the manager goes it alone trying to solve a problem or asks others who are not as knowledgeable for input. In some cases, it is arrogance that they alone have the answer. There is wisdom in recognizing that the person closest to the task, who has direct experience with the situation, is best equipped to identify what works and what does not. Before spending a lot of money on external consultants, or floundering in a task that you are not equipped to really master, sit down with members of your team and ask for their view on the issue that has you awake at night. Of course, some issues may be confidential (e.g., someone’s job is at risk) and requires appropriate discretion that the manager can and should discuss with a trusted advisor, such as a mentor, the HR department, or external counsel.

3. In the loop

Communication is the second most cited issue for employees who feel their managers keep them in the dark and inadvertently perpetuate silo behavior in the workplace. Frequent staff meetings focusing not only on work being done but discussing issues proactively and problem solving as a team are characteristic of the preferred approach. It is vital for morale that staff understands how their contribution has meaning to and impacts the organization. To foster understanding of what’s important, the organization’s plans should be shared. Staff will understand what they own in the plan — what they are accountable for accomplishing — and the resources at their disposal to do so. All employees are unlikely to attend a strategic planning event but all employees should be briefed on the outcome of that event.

4. The detail is the devil

How many people sing the praises of the boss who micromanages? I have yet to meet one and I have interviewed thousands. Over-manage at your peril because it is high on the list of what drives people to find another job. For the manager who is savvy enough to realize they are prone to obsess about details and believes no one can do the job as well, the road to recovery is slow but essential. Recognize there is an issue (and if in doubt, ask). Seek training and/or hire a coach. Your career progress really depends on you taking this one seriously. If you are on the receiving end of micromanagement, provide the supervisor with as much detail in writing as you can when a task assigned, e.g. “I understand you expect me to do 1-2-3 by 12/20/2011 4:10:11 PM. If this is not correct, please let me know by tomorrow so I can revise my work plan to ensure the deliverable is entirely in line with your expectations.”

5. Fix what’s really broken

Good managers fix problems, not blame. It is unproductive to assign fault for errors. Employees respect leadership that seeks to understand how problems can stop being repeated. A manager will certainly lose the respect of colleagues if they assign fault for errors rather than taking responsibility for fixing what went wrong. While it may be the case that Employee A did not do what was expected, the best questions to be asked are always “Why” and “What”. Why did it happen? What process, system, information, gap, etc. contributed to this result? The core issue, which might be employee training or the lack thereof, will not be revealed and remedied if the manager’s focus is on blaming people.

6. Performance, not personality

Favouritism is treating employees unequally. It can be overt, such as providing a benefit (e.g., opportunity to leave early or work on a special project with overtime pay), or it may be subtle, where the manager simply appears to listen to one individual more than others. The issue can also apply to performance feedback where the manager evaluates employees based on emotion (I like her) rather than facts and results (actual increases in a key result area such as revenue). There is one fact that managers need to acknowledge: what you may think is discreet is out in the open; employees know when the boss is playing favourites. Even the most professional employee will be disillusioned if it’s obvious their manager provides rewards based on personal preference and emotion over performance. Follow the good counsel to “be friendly but never friends” with staff.

7. Explain and train

The “sink or swim” approach to managing others is manifested in many ways: the absent boss, the supervisor who assumes everyone knows what’s expected, and the manager who doesn’t recognize that investing in training is essential in a world of rapid change. The best managers invest in their people and help ensure that staff understand what is expected of them. I meet managers all the time who take the view that if you don’t raise the question as the employee, then you understand what’s expected. Indeed, it is prudent for managers to give employees the opportunity to ask questions. Contrast the best use of resources: five minutes to ensure the employee understands the task and has the ability to accomplish it, or the time to re-do work several days or weeks later when the finished product is unacceptable.

8. Hire the best

Having been privileged to work with and observe some very capable leaders in the nonprofit sector, I can attest that the brightest executives hire even brighter people who bring impressive skills and substantive critical thinking. It is invigorating to employees to have colleagues on their team who bring new perspectives and innovative approaches. The intellectual capacity of a talented team will punch above its collective weight class with the employer reaping the reward. The quid pro quo to hiring the best is paying above average compensation.

9. Foul weather friend

The unpleasant term “human shield” conjures images of cowardly despots who use innocents to protect them. There is a second cousin to the creator of the human shield — the manager who runs for cover and leaves an employee holding the bag (or worse, is quick to yell “he did it” when the tough questions arise). Lesson number one in leadership: you were hired and are being paid to be responsible for the organization. Stand by your team and be accountable when plans go awry. If you throw staff under the bus, you can be assured that you will not just lose their confidence, but the board of directors (or your own supervisor) will quickly figure out that you lack character and leadership.

10. Map the journey

It may seem oddly adventurous to hop in a friend’s car and say let’s just see where the road takes us, but after an hour or so the trip is aimless. Consider how the public responds to politicians and celebrities who have confidence of purpose and who communicate it clearly. People want to back a winning, well thought-out strategy.

Nonprofit managers take note: employees I interviewed said that knowing the mission is important and knowing that the work is advancing the mission is very important. In many respects it is a compelling cause, and especially then knowing there is a plan to realize the mission, that draws people to this sector.

Next month, I will address when it’s time to leave a job for greener pastures.

Content is © Jack Shand and is reprinted with permission.

Jack Shand, CMC, CAE, is president of Leader Quest, a management consulting firm providing expert advice to not-for-profit organizations since 1997. Leader Quest specializes in executive search/staff recruitment, strategic planning, governance, and organizational reviews. Jack can be reached at 905-842-3845 and 1-877-929-4473, or jack-at-leaderquest-dot-com.