Management training below par

Some people in managerial positions lack the required soft skills. Photo / Getty Images

Bad bosses aren't bad people, they just lack the social skills to communicate with colleagues, fail to set expectations, may be technically brilliant but have no idea how to motivate staff.

Megan Alexander, general manager at recruitment firm Robert Half, says people become bad bosses because they can't handle workplace pressure or need training to understand how to talk to their staff.

"I don't think anyone sets out to be a bad boss," says Alexander. "I think a lot of the problems can either be their own stresses, workloads given to them by their boss, lack of personal development and training - and some people are just not up to the job of managing people."

Alexander says companies need to think twice before promoting someone to a management position on the strength of their technical skill.

"Companies need to develop people's leadership skills and emotional intelligence," she says. "A new manager is always going to be green, they have to start somewhere and learn, so it is really about their boss providing an environment that offers them support."

Alexander says people will sometimes apply for a management position just for the higher salary it pays.

"Sometimes the wrong people get promoted," she says. "But we do see people being turned down for roles because they do not have the soft skills. In this case they have reached their ceiling. I see this in accounting and finance in particular ... These people need to realise that and understand what their strengths and weaknesses are and what they need to work on if they do want to push through that barrier.

"Friction between managers can stem from differing work styles. Professionals who adapt their approach to their supervisor's preferences may be able to build stronger working relationships."

Alexander says making hiring and promotion decisions based on skill-set alone would be a mistake - culture must come first.

For staff lumbered with an inept manager, Alexander says they will need to help them see the errors of their ways.

"Staff need to understand their manager," says Alexander. "They need to communicate with their managers about what they need. Bosses aren't mind-readers."

However, finding yourself reporting to a rotten boss is highly likely in New Zealand, according to 2009 research by the Ministry of Economic Development. It says we have some of the worst managers in the world.

The survey on leadership and workplace culture found poor work culture and a lack of workplace leadership was costing NZ business more than $2.6 billion a year.

The report went on to say less than 45 per cent of those surveyed had trust and confidence in their work leadership and less than 47 per cent felt their leader's management style improved their productivity.

Research carried out by Robert Half shows half of New Zealand workers would look for opportunities elsewhere if they had some conflict with their manager. Its survey also found 53 per cent of New Zealand finance and accounting professionals would look for other opportunities elsewhere if a manager was not offering the opportunities they thought they deserved, while 42 per cent would contemplate a move if they were not inspired by their manager.

A further 34 per cent would also be attracted by a better management structure elsewhere.

"These results suggest that if businesses want to hold on to top performers, ensuring managers' leadership skills are up to scratch is a good place to start," says Alexander.

Chris Bell, managing director of Customer Experiences, says poor management skills lead to high employee disengagement, low productivity and have a direct impact on the overall culture of a business. "Good people can't perform to their best in these situations; they get frustrated and leave, resulting in a lower performance across the organisation," he says.

Dr Rhema Vaithianathan, a senior economist with The University of Auckland Business School, says New Zealand managers and processes are "strikingly bad".

"New Zealand's management scores are not good - in fact they might be the most significant reason for losing so many people to Australia - and it's time we did something about it," Dr Vaithianathan says.

"This issue must be seriously addressed by comprehensive management training and support programmes for our small and medium-sized manufacturing firms and family businesses. We cannot afford to ignore the issue any more."

How to cope

Problem
The micro-manager has trouble delegating tasks and tells you exactly how, when and where to do it.

Solution
Trust is usually the issue here, so do everything in your power to build it. Don't miss deadlines, pay attention to details and keep your manager apprised of all the steps you've taken to ensure quality work.

Problem
The poor communicator provides little or no direction.

Solution
Point out that by providing more information, you'll both avoid stress and save time in the long run.

Problem
The bully wants to do things their way or no way at all.

Solution
Stand up for yourself. The next time your supervisor shoots down your proposal, calmly explain your rationale.
- Robert Half

Steve Hart is a freelance journalist. SteveHart.co.nz