Festival of stupidity of subordinates

There are quite a large number of managers who complain about the "narrow-mindedness" of their direct subordinates. Such bosses claim that if they had really smart employees, they would turn mountains. And it's so good that at least half of the plan is "pulled" every month. What makes subordinates so stupid?

Let's try to figure it out, but for now we'll see

What do stupid subordinates do?

• They do not understand the tasks set
• Do not carry out orders
• Do not work when the boss is not around
• They ask the same stupid questions if the boss is around
• They constantly find excuses for their failures
• They do not take any responsibility
• They show inappropriate initiative
• They do it "in their own way" and in the end something unacceptable turns out
• They don't understand the importance of really important things
• They complain that their salary is too small, their selling prices are too high, discounts are too small, plans are too big and, finally, that they have too bad a boss

Who will like all this? It seems that there are no such leaders.

But are the leaders themselves so sinless?

• They set vague tasks
• They do not control the execution of their orders
• They spend little time with the team
• Or on the contrary, they are treated with excessive control
• They hope to get an honest answer about the reasons for not fulfilling the plan
• They are amenable to manipulation by the staff
• They don't know how to delegate
• Poor use of "bottom-up" initiatives
• They order where it is necessary to instruct
• They themselves do not believe what they are saying
• They complain before the next level of management that they have too little salary, too high selling prices, too little discounts, too big plans and, finally, that they have too bad staff

This list can be endless. The previous one will be exactly the same length. And all together it resembles a vicious circle.

The Bitter Truth about StupidityEvery manager works with exactly the staff they deserve.

Even more – any employee can become "stupid" with the appropriate quality of leadership work.

Managers who justify non-fulfillment of tasks by the stupidity of subordinates should be fired. The sooner this is done, the less money the company will lose due to ineffective actions of the line manager.

When it is difficult for a company, active actions and rapid changes are required. At this point, the layer of line managers either works as a catalyst for even greater changes, or becomes an internal brake.

If the second happens, then it only says one thing. And top managers really don't like it. I'm talking about the fact that if the company's line managers are slowing down, it means that the tops are not catching up. And if the director talks about the stupidity of his managers, we just see the same problem just at a higher organizational level. The essence does not change in any way.

Is there a way out?Of course there is!

However, not at all.

For some managers, everything is already lost. They can complain about their fate and the incompetents around them until the end of their career/life. To look for a magic pill that solves all their problems at once. They can often change employees and wonder why gifted newcomers either leave immediately or become as incompetent as the previous ones. And they can also blame the crises and lawlessness of the state. They are not given to comprehend a very simple truth.

Even those who mentally agree with it cannot use this knowledge. Because it requires such managers to pay a huge fee and a lot of effort. They are not ready for this and give way to another type of leaders. They accept this truth easily and achieve colossal results using it.

This simple truth lies in constant change and development

But these are just words. And the result is achieved only by actions, and here is exactly the difference between the types of managers. Whoever acts finds a way out. Whoever is looking for reasons why this truth is not the truth at all, or simply does nothing, is doomed. Or, without any quotes, just dumb. To teach such people is only to spoil them.

Do you have the strength to be honest with yourself?How long has it been since you took a leadership position?

How many books on management and personal growth have you read in the last 6 months?

When was the last time you attended a training session? At any training.

Can you sit down and, taking a sheet of blank paper, write down what 5 qualities of a leader are you purposefully developing now? What are you good at? What is worth learning?

Enough self-torture. There is still time to fix, if not everything, then a lot.

Where to startWhatever the situation in the company, it's worth starting with yourself.

No matter what people are subordinate to you, no matter what incompetents are your bosses. Do not wait for magical changes outside – it's time to take responsibility for yourself, for the department, for the company. Only personal changes can work and break through the corporate swamp of whining, shifting responsibility and professional insolvency.

Take on the staff! To hell with all the techniques and expensive tests. The good old filing cabinet for all employees will easily accommodate:

• Motivational profiles for each employee (What does he need? Career, money, status, power, responsibility, development, just a kind word, recognition in the team, interesting work, etc.).
• A schedule of personal and collective communication about current results, plans, the state of the company, colleagues, the glorious past and challenging future, etc. I emphasize – honest communication. Which will then turn into quite specific promises and actions.
• Personal plans for the development of very specific skills needed by each employee. With weekly details and entering the current results every Friday. It will be intense and hard, but it will pay off, believe me.
• List of literature. You can laugh as much as you like, but there are good books (some even with pictures) that need to be passed around in the team. And every 2-3 months this list should be updated. And each time you will need to find the first reader. Enthusiastic and enthusiastic. If there is no such person yet, find him and hire him to the team.
• A list of really useful trainings that employees and you personally should attend.
• A roll-call list of employees who have performed well, in a new way, "not stupidly" over the past 3 months. Bring in everyone who deserves it at least a little. And if you do everything right, don't be surprised when 80% of the staff shows positive dynamics. Help them with this – fire the remaining 20% of hopeless ones with a bang. They were really dumb.

With respect,
Sidelnikov Andrey Viktorovich,Managing Partner of the HR Expert Company
P.S.

By the way, keep a diary. No kidding – the real diary of the head. Write down the ideas and initiatives of employees there, your own thoughts and, most importantly, your own successes in developing personal skills of a manager.

The work of the manager does not immediately give results. Sometimes it takes quite a long time before the right actions begin to manifest themselves in concrete results. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to return to your goals, remember your successes and adjust plans.

Don't be lazy to give yourself feedback. Compare yourself today with yourself yesterday. And start every day with a simple question (5 minutes for the first cup of coffee is enough):

And what is new to do today for the development of each of these employees?

Write down the answer in your diary.
A good habit.
Good luck.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru02.07.2009