Authoritarian Manager and the team
While this feels like a big, "areyyyyyyyy yaar, chhyaaaa" (in Hindi/Nepali) ;). You know it isn't common practice because you have worked with folks who like to make you feel inferior while communicating with a less than positive attitude.
Attitudes, both positive and negative, are contagious. While it is impossible to have a positive attitude 100% of the time it is possible to be an approachable and transparent project leader. If the team is not taking the behaviours of the senior team member's, they will resort to hiding critical information that could negatively affect the project out of fear about how the manager may respond.
According to the Zig Ziglar
"your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude."
Today I want to share my experience working with ineffective manager. The positive aspect is that the manager and the team collectively possess the ability to establish the atmosphere and values that will become the standard for their project. How does this function? It involves creating a team charter, alternatively referred to as a team contract or a document outlining the team's working principles. This document is collaboratively developed, incorporating input from both the project team and the manager. Formulating a team charter serves as an excellent team-building exercise while also serving a pragmatic purpose by generating commitment to the project and fostering team responsibility before the project's daily activities occupy the team's complete focus.
Have you ever imagined the working environment if the manager does not care about maintaining such practices?
In the world of software development, effective leadership can make or break a project. A skilled manager should possess a range of qualities, including technical knowledge, empathy, and the ability to nurture a productive team environment. Unfortunately, not all managers fit this ideal mold, and this can lead to a host of problems. In this article, we will explore some common challenges that arise when your manager lacks essential qualities such as empathy, technical understanding, maturity, and the ability to communicate effectively.
- No Empathy at all:
One of the key qualities of a great manager is empathy. It's the ability to understand and relate to your team members' feelings, challenges, and needs. A manager who lacks empathy can create a hostile work environment, leading to poor team morale, high turnover rates, and ultimately, project failure. - Authoritarian Attitude:
An effective manager should be a leader, not a boss. Unfortunately, some managers adopt an authoritarian attitude, where they simply give orders without understanding the nuances of the project or considering team members' input. This approach stifles creativity and can result in subpar results. - Have zero idea about the technical aspects of the work:
Understanding the product and the process of software development is crucial for a manager. Without this knowledge, they may make unrealistic demands, set unreasonable expectations, or fail to allocate resources effectively. This can lead to project delays, and frustrated team members. - Immaturity:
Maturity is a quality that is vital in a manager. It involves the ability to handle pressure, conflicts, and setbacks gracefully. An immature manager may react emotionally to challenges, exacerbating problems and eroding team trust. - "Why have not you did this? You should have done this" - Micromanagement:
Some managers believe that micromanaging their team is the path to success. However, this approach often leads to demotivated team members who feel stifled and undervalued. It can also hamper productivity and creativity, as team members become overly focused on compliance rather than innovation. - "I did it for you":
It is the job of managers to take responsibility for making a healthy environment without an excuse. If the manager starts to tell the team member about his work with "You should thank to me, I have fought for you..., Thank me that I did it for you.....". These statements disvalue the prespective of the team members. - Showing yourself smart by being dumb:
Mocking team members, even if meant in jest, can be hurtful and counterproductive. A manager who engages in such behavior may not realize the negative impact it has on team dynamics and morale.
Team Charter
When I work with project teams to create a team charter I focus on three themes:
Clearly identify each person's project role and key responsibilities
This sounds very basic but it is a step that many people forget. Make sure to identify why each person was selected to be a part of the multi-functional project team. Additionally, as team members join the project, privately ask each person if they are working on any skills they would like a chance to practice on this project. I have had colleagues that wanted to become more at ease with public speaking, presenting to leadership, identifying and calculating KPIs. By understanding their professional goals it was easy to present them with individualized opportunities for growth. When people are seen for their evolving strengths and gifts the entire organization wins.
Most likely your project team is not 100% dedicated to your project. Help manage time constraints by continuously communicating project status and aligning resources to their project role. This will help the functional managers and the team to juggle their daily tasks by understanding how each person is contributing to project outcomes and deliverables which should in turn be aligned to business objectives and strategic goals.
Create and agree to a communication plan
Meetings are one of the more popular methods of communication but they can also be a complete waste of time if basic guidelines are not followed. As a team, explore each of these questions and document the answers. This will become a collective way of working agreement:
- What tools do you prefer to use for communication, e.g. Slack, SharePoint, Microsoft Outlook, Texting, Zoom (voice only, or video and voice)? How will each tool be used?
- When conflict arises how will it be handled? What is the escalation path?
- Who has decision making authority? How will decisions be made?
- What are the data collection and reporting tools we must use due to company policy?
- How will project information be communicated and distributed? How often, by whom and who receives what?
Clearly describe all behaviors that will not be tolerated
One of the questions above is designed to have an open discussion with the team about how the team will handle conflict when it arises. Our behavior is rarely best in the midst of conflict or disagreement. Acknowledging that conflict will occur, explore with your team which behaviors will and will not be tolerated.
Are we, as a team, OK with blaming, shaming, complaining or do we want to collectively solve problems together through direct communication and productive brainstorming? How does the sponsor, manager or team respond when the project gets stressful? Is it ever OK to yell at our colleagues, intimidate them by slamming doors, curse at them or throw objects around the office?
By having these difficult conversations as a team, before work starts, you will get a sense of who is willing to collaborate through problems with the best attitude possible. These conversations will set the tone and create a set of social norms that the team will often self-govern while cultivating a culture of mutual accountability that naturally builds trust within a team.
Nothing more !!! Nothing Less !!!
Do we have ways out?
From my prespective, here are some ways to keep the conversation flowing and engaging:
1. Listen Actively
You can’t respond and engage with another person if you aren’t truly listening to what they’re saying. A one-way conversation in your favor doesn’t work — what do they want to talk about? What are they bringing to the conversation that you can expand on?
When you practice active listening, you’re not thinking about what you’re going to say while the other person is talking. You’re engaged and interested, which lets the other person know that you’re taking them seriously. When they feel as though you appreciate their input, they’ll be more inclined to keep the conversation going.
2. Attention to Detail
Do you look interested, or are you sitting back with your arms crossed? Are you constantly looking at your phone or the things around you? A big conversation killer is acting uninterested, whether it’s intentional or not. Paying attention to anything besides the person that’s talking sends the message that you’d rather be anywhere else than there with them. Let's try to get the answers using 5W and 1H questions.
3. Embrace Small Talk
Turns out, small talk isn’t as cringeworthy as everyone thinks it is! Before you can really open up and be comfortable with someone, you have to start small. Go ahead and talk about the news, your favorite music, or the last movie you saw.
All of those little conversations will eventually open the door to deeper, more connected discussions. (Not to mention, if you share intimate details of your life too soon, the other person might not be ready!)
4. Ask Open-Ended Questions
When you or the other person starts asking a series of “yes or no” questions, it can cause the conversation to stall. The best solution is to ask open-ended questions. Instead of “Do you like concerts?” try “What type of music are you into?” Then you can follow up with the last concert they went to, the best concert they’ve ever seen, and who they want to check out in the future. (Think of it as a “ripple” effect.)
The goal of any questions you ask should be to expand on the original question. When you ask questions such as, “Do you like cats?” or “Are you into crime documentaries?” is a quick way to drive your discussion into a dead end. Having said that you need to be real about your experience. Don't ever fake your answer.
5. Let Your Guard Down — To an Extent
Sometimes, we tend to filter out our thoughts during a conversation to avoid saying something “weird’ or “uncool.” What would happen if we just… stopped doing that? The best way to try this out is to talk to someone you can speak your mind around. Don’t hold back — tell them about that crazy dream you had, that embarrassing story from fifth grade, or your secret love of pineapple on pizza. The more open you are, the more it moves the conversation forward.
6. Tell Interesting Stories (Even if They Aren’t About You)
Use stories from all over! Maybe you go with a heartwarming story you heard on the news, a funny story about a celebrity, or your sibling’s recent accomplishment that you’re super proud of. It’s a chance for each of you to gain insight into each other’s personalities and what you find interesting, funny, sad, etc.
That said, you should still keep gossip off the table, especially if you don’t know each other very well — it can definitely rub someone the wrong way. Tell stories that are relatable, engaging, and spark a conversation that both of you can participate in.
7. Respond With “Tell Me More”
When in doubt, ask them to go on! This is where active listening comes into play. If you’re interested in what they are saying, have them expand on their thoughts. For example, if they quickly mention that they were in the 7th-grade talent show, ask them what their skill was. Show that you’re genuinely interested in their stories! Not only does it show that you’re listening, but it also gives them the confidence and comfortability needed to keep the conversation flowing.
Not everyone is a great conversationalist. It takes time and practice to master “the art of conversation,” so cut yourself some slack! If you feel the discussion is lagging, try to stay calm, take a breath, and be yourself. An awkward, silence-filled conversation isn’t one person’s fault, nor is it a reflection of what they think of you.
Sometimes, two people need a verbal boost, and that’s what the above tips are for! Keep it light, fun, honest, and — above all else — genuine. When you let the real you guide what you have to say, and you can’t go wrong.
8. Stop making "excuses" and start learning
You should try your best to find successful methods, losers make excuses; to be successful, excuse should be killed; if you always excuse, it would be difficult to success; when you have no excuse for the moment, that is, you choose a successful start. Most of us stops learning after graduation from college. We tend to think we already have it all after getting our diplomas. However, life is constantly changing. Successful people crave to learn and learn more. They read books; blogs and etc to keep them updated with the changing world. You have to understand to solve the problem, an attitude rather than skills, so you have to believe you can solve all problems.
Summary
Working with an ineffective manager can be a frustrating and demoralizing experience. Every high performance team should be willing to invest in their relationships and help one another grow and be accountable to a higher standard! Do they still go through the "storming" step to performing - oh yes! It's essential for both team members and organizations to recognize the signs of ineffective management and take steps to address these issues. This may involve providing training and support to the manager or, in some cases, reevaluating their role within the organization. Ultimately, creating a positive and productive work environment requires strong leadership qualities, technical competence, empathy, and a commitment to teamwork.
References/Readings:
Christina H.
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