Navigating Poor Leadership habits. Turning poor leadership habits into strengths

Turning poor leadership habits into strengths

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Turning poor leadership habits into strengths, how do you do this?

In the previous article, we explored the negative impact of poor leadership habits on employee productivity. Go to PART 1 of the article HERE.

Read Part 1

Now, in part 2, we will focus on how to turn those habits into strengths and improve the overall work culture.

If you or your managers have been guilty of these bad habits, all is not lost.

businessman assessing poor leadership habits

Fortunately, people are adaptable, and even if there has previously been poor leadership behaviour, it’s easy to change the situation.

✅ Turn Poor communication into strengths

If your communication needs work, consider opening direct lines of communication for your employees. This can be as simple as a forum specifically designed for employee/management interaction. What’s important is that your team sees you making an effort.

Turn Micromanagement into strengths ✅

If you’re micromanaging your employees, step back and start trusting them. Understand that you’re hurting more than helping and allow your employees to prove to you that they can accomplish their designated tasks without constant supervision and intervention.

✅ Turn Lack of responsibility into strengths

If you struggle to take responsibility for your team, consider taking full responsibility for all problems for a certain period. Your team must understand that you’re willing to accept blame and that you will not throw them under the bus.

Turn a hostile working environment into strengths ✅

If you’re fostering a hostile working environment, you should first determine why you thrive in such an environment. Then, after some consultation, consider actionable changes you can make to help combat this hostility. This can be as simple as giving encouraging compliments, regular accolades for your team, and generally being as approachable as possible.

Turning poor leadership habits into strengths

Regardless of which poor leadership quality your company is struggling with, the solution is always doing everything in your power to ensure that you and your team are fighting together, rather than against each other.

As you work towards transforming your leadership approach, delve deeper into key leadership skills like humility by exploring our article ‘Uncovering Humility – A Key Leadership Skill for Success.‘ Discover how embracing humility can contribute to successful leadership and positive team dynamics.

Humility leadership skill

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re part of – bosses who focus on an “us vs. them” separation between managers and employees are destined to fail, because people are not built to thrive in that kind of environment. If productivity matters to you, cultivate a happy, valued workforce.

Ready to enhance your leadership skills and foster a positive work environment? Connect with Ian Hurst at ian@paymaster.co.za or 082 898 5006 to explore personalized solutions for effective leadership development. Empower your team and elevate your leadership journey today.

HRMASTER

Navigating Poor Leadership habits

Navigating Poor Leadership Habits  

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DANGER!

Poor leadership habits will crush your employee's productivity.
Poor leadership can quickly lead to a disengaged, unproductive team.

Poor leadership wreaks havoc on employee productivity, leading to disengagement and reduced efficiency. The key is to ensure a unified team effort, addressing challenges collaboratively rather than creating internal conflicts.

In today’s competitive job market, retaining skilled employees is crucial. However, poor management and leadership negatively impact a company’s bottom line through disengagement and decreased productivity.

There are many poor leadership qualities that are detrimental to your team’s success, and that can lead to decreased productivity, but these are four of the worst behaviours:

1. Poor communication 2. Micromanagement 3. Lack of responsibility 4. Cultivating a hostile working environment.

Poor communication

Poor communication

Communication is one of the most important aspects of a manager’s job.

If you can’t communicate with your employees, you’ll never be able to adequately explain what is expected of them.

Poor communication doesn’t only mean struggling to hold conversations, it can also take the form of passive-aggressive communication, spreading negativity, or even something as simple as not listening to, or consulting with your team.

Micromanagement

Poor leadership Micromanagement

Micromanagement is the practice of excessively controlling and scrutinizing your employees. This can occur in any profession and creates a toxic working environment. Part of being an effective leader is understanding that other people will not always complete tasks the same way that you do.

Micromanaging employees takes valuable time away from key aspects of your operations and responsibilities. Not only does micromanagement make it harder for you to accomplish other tasks, but it can also breed discontent among employees. Excessive control, criticism and an overbearing and distrustful manager can negatively impact job satisfaction, productivity, and the overall well-being of employees.

Lack of responsibility

Take responsibility

There is nothing more admirable than a leader willing to accept responsibility.

If someone on your team had a problem and caused you to miss an important date for your superiors, you should be the one taking the blame. Always passing the blame to the next person creates an anxiety-filled environment and ultimately benefits no one.

Cultivating a hostile working environment

Hostile working environment

Although not often discussed, a significant percentage of workers would agree that their work environment is toxic.

Cultivating this kind of working environment can involve bullying, harassment, or other aggressive styles of authoritarian management. This management style will not motivate your workers to give their best.

Why are unhappy workers so ineffective?

unhappy workers

Although each of these poor leadership qualities is completely different, they each share one important, detrimental quality…they create an…

“US vs. THEM” divide.

  • Poor communication leads employees to feel like their opinions aren’t validated, that their voices aren’t heard, and as if no one cares about what they’re doing.
  • Micromanagement causes workers to feel like their bosses think they can’t do anything properly. This can lead to employees developing a negative attitude towards company values.
  • A management team that doesn’t take responsibility results in employees feeling targeted and often as if they haven’t been given an adequate opportunity to succeed.
  • In a hostile working environment, no one can get anything done because they’re anxious about being reprimanded or too stressed about the interpersonal workplace atmosphere.

So although different, each of these habits creates space between management and workers. At the end of the day, workers want to feel valued, heard, and like they’re doing something that matters.

Turning poor leadership habits into strengths!

To be continued…

Click here for Part 2 – Turning poor leadership habits into strengths.

Read Part 2
The value of rewarding good employee performance

Rewarding good employee performance

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The value of rewarding good employee performance

Recognize your employees hard work and dedication by offering them gift vouchers for their excellent service.

This will boost employee morale, productivity and your company bottom line.

Here are a few reasons to consider rewarding your employees:

Gift box

Motivation and Engagement

  • Material appreciation of hardwork motivates and engages staff in their work
  • It encourages them to continue performing at a high level
  • They may experience greater job satisfaction as a result of increased engagement

Improved Mental Health

  • Couple voucherA reward and show of appreciation for hard work boosts
  • mental health by reducing stress and anxiety
  • Since stress negatively impacts job performance and overall well-being, this reward system should help create a positive work environment and enhance mental health

Sense of Appreciation

  • A gift voucher as reward for hard work fosters a sense of appreciation and validation
  • This especially helps those who feel undervalued in their role
  • This gift can raise self-esteem and create a more positive atmosphere at work

Increased Loyalty

  • Being recognized and rewarded for hard work increases loyalty and commitment to your company
  • Valued employees are more likely to stay on long term – this results in a more stable workforce
  • Teamwork and collaboration is also encouraged this way

Enhance Company Image

Offer of employment

  • Happy, appreciated employees speak out positively about their company
  • This results in great word-of-mouth advertising which help recruit new employees and attract new customers

Cost Effective and Personal

  • Instead of an impersonal cash bonus, a voucher is a thoughtful gift
  • It offers a choice to the recipient, so is a flexible way to show appreciation
  • If you purchase vouchers in bulk, your company can save costs.

Consider this:

  • Buy vouchers according to the company budget allocated to employee rewards
  • Select vouchers according to your employees interests and preferences
  • The frequency of offering these vouchers will depend on your company budget and culture – it can be quarterly or annually, or directly related to achieving specific targets and goals.

YoyoGift vouchers, a Paymaster partner, offers the perfect way to reward and encourage your hard working employees.

Paymaster provides you with an online digital gifting platform. Send your gifts in under 3 minutes. Contact Glen 082 898 5006 or ian@paymaster.co.za for more info on this voucher reward system.

Wellness

Employee Wellness

by with No Comment ArticleEmployee Wellness

Paymaster presents this 4-part article series that assists in employee and workplace wellness and provides tips and strategies to promote overall well-being in the workplace, including managing burnout, self-care, adopting lifestyle tips from Japan, and creating a supportive work environment.

Part 1

4 Types of intelligencehttps://www.paymaster.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/4-Types-of-emotional-intelligence-600×314.png

Psychologists have identified the following 4 types of intelligence:

Intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, social quotient and adversity quotient. Let’s explain these:

1. Intelligence quotient (IQ) – this measures the level of comprehension. You need IQ to solve maths problems, memorize things and recall lessons.

2. Emotional quotient (EQ) – this measures your ability to build a network of friends, maintain peace with others, be responsible, keep to time, be honest, respect boundaries, be humble, genuine and considerate.

3. Social quotient (SQ) – this measures your ability to build a group of friends and maintain it over time.

People with higher EQ and SQ usually go further in life than those with high IQ, but low EQ and SQ. Unfortunately most schools focus on building IQ, and play down the importance of EQ and SQ.

Your EQ represents your character, and your SQ represents your charisma. Seek out habits that will improve all three of the above mentioned, but especially your EQ and SQ.

Now there is a new one, the

4. Adversity Quotient (AQ) – this measures your ability to go through a difficult time and emerge on the other side without losing your mind. AQ determines who will give up, abandon their family, or consider suicide when going through a rough patch.

Develop a child’s different quotients, and don’t focus only on academics. Encourage manuel labour of some sort (but not as punishment), also sports and arts.

Help them to become multi-faceted human beings, able to act independently of their parents, as they grow up.

Prepare your children for the road, since you can’t prepare the road for them!Part 2

Beware of burnout

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A toxic culture has developed lately, that pushes people to prove how hard they’re working, and how indispensable they are. For some this defines their identity.

•  when things become overwhelming, there is a sense of shame and failure, that often prevents that person from seeking help. They don’t want to be seen not coping ,emotionally and physically.

•  it is vitally important to recognize it, accept it, and reach out for help.

•  symptoms can include feeling physically and emotionally drained, and feeling tired and overwhelmed, even unable to get out of bed.

•  it is a mistake to try and deal with it alone, as anxiety and worry only increases.

•  perfectionism is often a trait of these high achievers, putting themselves under impossible pressure.

•  there is no shame in this, so GET HELP – and be kind to yourself.

•  be flexible and teachable – your way is not the only way. Allow others to help you, and show you alternatives.

•  stress and overwhelm (and maybe a sense of hopelessness) often happens when a difficult project is completed, or a goal is reached.

•  it is essential to communicate how you feel to those close to you, and your work colleagues and boss.

•  does your company have a manifesto that supports your staff and make sure that managers stick to it. Have avenues to assist those feeling overwhelmed, and communicate them well.

Paymaster has a monthly Mental health day that allows each staff member a day off to do whatever they deem necessary to remain on top of it. Be creative (and consultative) and find ways to support your valued team members to stay strong and focused.

Part 3https://www.paymaster.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Self-care-tips-to-grow-in-2023-1024×536.png

Self -care tips for everyone

  1.  Avoid telling people about your goals – it will release cheap dopamine, and trick your brain into thinking it has already achieved them, and lower your motivation.
  2. If you feel unhappy – focus on brain health – sleep, hydrate, excercise, eat healthy and have less screen time.
  3. Write down beautiful moments -save the memory – one day you might need it to lift you up when going through a tough time.
  4. When emerging from a rough patch – use it as an opportunity to transform your life- focus on building your values and daily habits – and come back stronger.
  5. Make peace with past decisions that you now regret – you made them based on knowledge you had then.
  6. If you are not feeling strong mentally, don’t believe every thought and emotion – it’s a bad idea (like shopping on an empty tummy).
  7. Don’t compare yourself to others – they have their own challenges.
  8. Avoid those that steal your energy – and those prone to creating conflict.
  9. If you see something beautiful in nature, be present and enjoy it. Not everything has to be recorded.
  10. If mainstream media overwhelms you, turn it off.
  11. If you’re stuck in negative thoughts, ask yourself “Will this matter in a year?” or “Is this useful?”
  12. If you feel rushed, go at it 85%. The athlete, Carl Lewis, said “Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast!”

Remember to live life to the fullest by setting achievable goals, focusing on brain health, and cherishing beautiful moments. Take at least one of these self-care tips and implement it into your daily routine for a healthier, happier life.

Part 4 coming next week…

Are you responding to countless payroll-related questions? Here’s how to recover 3 hours of your valuable ‘lost time’…

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Problem: are you responding to countless payroll-related enquiries?

Often, it seems as if all of our time is consumed by responding to staff and colleagues’ countless payroll-related questions.

This type of time-wasting is an easy trap to fall into. In fact, ‘lost time’ is the default result of ineffective workplace systems and processes.

Do you often wonder how you might be able to recover some of your ‘lost time’?

When providing payroll-related answers to enquiries made by staff and colleagues, the act of doing so is, more often than not, rather easily dealt with. The trade-off however, is that this act does require you to momentarily cease a task that you’re busy, in order to divert your attention for a while.

Sometimes you may have a quick answer for the person making the enquiry. More likely however, you may well find yourself spending a good few minutes preparing an answer for the person whom you’re attending to.

Therefore, in the final analysis the point being made is this: when several of these ‘interruptions’ take place quite frequently— throughout the course of an average workday—a considerable amount of time is lost.

[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true” remove_hidden_urls=”true”]Frequent ‘interruptions’ throughout the course of an average workday, WILL result in lost time![/tweetthis]

Solution: automated payroll self-help enquiry service for employees

A recent informal survey conducted by Paymaster Payroll revealed that there is an inordinate repetition of payroll-related questions being (repeatedly) asked of management and supervisors within organisations that do not have the benefit of an automated payroll self-help enquiry service.

Findings from the Paymaster Payroll survey revealed some interesting truths. You may be surprised to discover that the most frequently asked questions were:

Top 5 payroll-related ‘time wasting’ questions

  1. Employee: “Please may I get a copy of last month’s payslip, because I seem to have misplaced my original copy.”
  2. Colleague: “I urgently need the home address and mobile contact phone number of [Sally/Joe] who works in my department…”
  3. Colleague: “How much cumulative overtime did my department work for last month?”
  4. Colleague: “May I have a list of my employees’ salaries, their net pay and their official job titles.”
  5. Employee: “How much total leave (sick and annual) do I still have for the current leave cycle?”

On average, recoverable ‘lost time’ will add up to (about) 3 hours

Many organisations have made the switch to the use of an automated payroll self-help enquiry service. Consequently, after having made the switch, management and supervisors have recovered about 3 hours1 (per week) of lost time.

Does this come as a surprise to you? If so, it ought to be good news too, because it means that you may well end up recovering more of your own lost time too.

Accordingly, you are certain to find more available time for yourself too: more time to refine your productivity levels, more time to spend on planning and operational matters, and more time to do just just about anything you like.

What a pleasure!

Would you like to know more? You are invited to contact Ian, who will be happy to reply to additional questions that you might have.

1 This claim is based upon Paymaster’s set of estimated variables that we used during the calculation and testing process of the productivity survey.