Over the course of our professional lives, we have come across a lot of managers. Some good, and some not so much. There were the charismatic types, the visionaries, the compromisers, the nurturers, the showboats, the absentees, the know-it-alls, the drill sergeants, the micromanagers, the fast talkers, and those who never said much at all. As a CEO of an organization, Tor Inge also had the opportunity to interview and employ a fair share of managers and later watch them in action.
While most of the managers Tor Inge hired were able to successfully lead their teams, others were not so successful. What he observed is that, what he calls, “control freak” managers had a lot less success in keeping their teams happy and motivated. There are two types of “control freak” managers:
- The “lack of trust” control freaks:These managers tend to lack general trust in their employees. They over-supervise their teams to ensure that work gets done, but rarely give praise or recognition. Often these managers are very skilled in their field of expertise, but their management approach hinders team morale and negatively impacts productivity.
- The “insecure” control freaks:These managers are a true challenge to work for. These managers have low competence and skill set to get a job done, so they hide it by oppressing their teams with rigid systems of control and silence. They are political in nature and very cautious about what information they release and what they keep to themselves.
The managers you bring on board play an important role in carrying out your organizational strategy and have a big impact on how employees feel about coming to work, their job, and the company as a whole. There are a lot of people who call themselves good managers but have zero interest in the good of the company. Being able to identify the truly good ones is vital to your organization’s success. Look for those individuals who display genuine care for employee wellness and your organization’s best interests. There is a popular saying that goes “employees don’t quit their jobs, they quit their managers.” So, the next time you’re looking for a new manager, be sure to keep an eye out for the “control freaks.” They can ruin your company!
