Avoid “Yes Man” Mentality: How to Break the Management Mold

Finding your voice as a management professional can be a challenge, and many managers find themselves falling into a pattern of stereotypical authority responses. As an effective manager, you want to stand apart with a management style that asks questions and moves away from the path most traveled. The first step to breaking the management mold is to question your current mentality as a manager and identify areas you can change.

“It’s Common Practice”—No Such Thing

The most common response when an employee comes to management and asks why for any reason is “because it’s common practice” or “because this is how it’s done.” These were ineffective reasons when you were a teenager hearing it from your parents, and they’re still ineffective reasons to give your employees today.

Challenge Yourself and Your Solutions

Challenge yourself to learn why it’s common practice. Instead of deferring to old solutions because that’s what has always worked, ask yourself why you follow procedures in a certain way. Have a concrete reason for every action that you take as manager. Don’t say “yes” just because the handbook tells you to. Say “yes” because it makes sense, or learn to say “no, and here are the changes we need to make.”

Learn to justify your actions and use reasoning and logic on a consistent basis in your work life. At all times, be prepared to answer for your actions with real reasons, instead of a cop-out answer that defers to lazy mentality. Your employees will appreciate it, and you’ll stand out from all the status quo managers who fail to notice when a procedure isn’t working.

Source: HRMToday

 

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