Over the course of my career there is a type of behavior that I see constantly. An exceptional employee gets promoted to a management position. Before you know it, he or she is coming in early, staying late, coming in on days off, and always on the phone.
With this kind of work ethic, that manager must really be performing, right?
Wrong.
When a manager decides to manage primarily by just being around and being connected, that manager has decided that his or her presence is what makes things happen.
Maybe that’s true, but its about the worst way to build a business that I can think of.
First of all, it discourages the development of systems of management and the development of people in the organization- but that’s a topic for another post. The second thing that happens, the thing that I’m thinking of, is that the manager starts to assume that simply by being present the operation will run properly. The manager becomes casual at work.
What’s wrong with being casual at work? We like a laid-back boss, right?
Wrong.
We all think we’d like a laid back boss, but the truth is that we want bosses that are clear in their expectations and efficient in their communication. We also like bosses that are well rested and mentally clear so they act like decent people and not like, er, jerkfaces.
So here’s your solution- be intense at work. Communicate clearly and efficiently. Have fun but stay focused. Then…
Go home! Do something else! Get a hobby! No one is so important that they can’t take a day off. If you think you are, its time to look around and train some people to carry the load with you- with intensity! Not only will you feel better about your life, you will also perform better at work.