There's an undermanagement epidemic throughout the workplace. We've been doing research on the front lines of the workplace for the last thirteen years since 1993 and here's the most overwhelming thing that we've come across: managers don't manage, leaders don't lead, supervisors don't supervise. There is just such a shocking lack of guidance, direction and support in the workplace. You show me a problem with customer service and I'll show you a problem of under management. In fact, show me just about any problem – airline delays, the loss of credit card data, soggy fries; you show me a problem and I'll show you a case of under management. Just follow the problem. Follow that problem. Go behind the scenes and you'll realize everything is somebody's job. And everybody's got a boss. And it's the boss's job to make sure things go right.
But for some reason, leaders, managers, and supervisors aren't leading, managing and supervising. It's a powerful trend. Managers are hands off. And they think they are supposed to be hands off. "I'm hands off, see", that's what they say. "I'm hands off, see" until something goes wrong. That's what managers say. And the problem is if you are hands off, things will definitely go wrong.
And this is the biggest problem in my view. It's the dirty little secret in the business world. It's hiding in plain sight. All you have to do is look around and you will see examples of under management everywhere you look. So what I've been telling people is, "It's OK to be the boss." Somewhere along the line people stopped thinking it was OK to be the boss. It's OK to be the boss. If you are the boss that just means you have to be really, really good at being the boss. If you are the boss, people are counting on you. They're counting on you to help them succeed; they're counting on you to help them earn what they need. If you are the boss, you've got to take charge. You've got to take charge; you've got to be strong. It's OK to be the boss. And it's better to be a strong, hands on boss than to be a weak hands off boss. Be strong, be hands on. Be a great boss.
BONUS MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE
If you do not know your organization's policies and procedures for dealing with persistent performance problems, taking disciplinary action, and termination, then STOP AND STUDY. Contact someone in HR. Get a copy of the policies and procedures of the organization. Read them. Read them again. Read them a third time, taking notes. Memorize them. Then get a trusted adviser in HR to walk you through the policies and procedures step by step until you really know and understand them very well.
