You can make sure you’re not one of them by becoming aware of common missteps managers make. Not only can this information help you make beneficial changes as a leader, if necessary, but it can be critical to retaining your top financial talent. When our company recently asked executives why good employees quit their jobs, the number one response was “unhappiness with management.”

 

Could you be labeled a bad boss? There are many ways to be a poor manager short of showing outright contempt for employees. Here are some signs that may be less obvious but still harmful:

You call yourself a “hands-on” supervisor, because you like to be involved in every step of every project. There isn’t a receipt, invoice or balance sheet that has gone through your department without your review. While you may feel that you are showing an interest in your staff’s work, more likely you are being seen as a micromanager.

 

As a leader, you should be focusing on the big picture, not on the processes involved in accomplishing the team’s financial work. Give your staff the authority to perform their jobs and encourage them to develop solutions when they face problems. You’ll help to eliminate bottlenecking with projects that require your approval at every stage, improving your group’s efficiency and motivation.

Many managers make the mistake of thinking their employees can’t handle the truth and shield them from bad news. Your employees especially need open communication today when a falloff in business or a downsizing can affect your organization. The better your team understands recent developments, the greater the role they can play in helping to bring about positive change.

 

Include staff in related meetings and brainstorming sessions whenever feasible. When people are involved in the process, they will feel more in control of the situation and may potentially uncover just the right solution to the problem at hand.

Another sign that you might be a bad boss is that employees always go along with your suggestions, never offering their own input or ideas. This indicates that you are discouraging speaking out or risk-taking, either directly or indirectly.

 

Make sure that you not only solicit feedback from employees on key projects, but that you also follow through by implementing their best recommendations. When people make suggestions that fail when put into practice, view the situations as learning opportunities rather than criticizing the attempts. If people see that you welcome innovation, they are more likely to make valuable contributions to the team.

This is a common problem in today’s economic environment when managers are juggling multiple priorities. In addition to handling their everyday job responsibilities such as preparing financial statements and monitoring cash flow, many are also taking on a larger role in providing strategic business advice to senior management.

 

When employees see your door constantly closed or must wait days for responses to their voice and e-mail messages, they may assume that you are not taking them seriously. If you will be unavailable for an extended time, let staff know when and how they can reach you. You may find it useful to set aside an hour during a slower part of your workday to devote to employee interaction. This will help to keep the lines of communication open with those in your group.

Public criticism does not have to be loud or particularly harsh to cause embarrassment for an employee. Be especially sensitive to discussions you may have with staff members who work in cubicles. It’s easy to get caught up your talk and overlook the fact that surrounding employees can hear what you are saying. If you need to reprimand an individual on your team or point out a shortcoming with a project, it’s best to do so in private.

 

It’s not always easy to identify our own faults. You may find it helpful to ask employees during performance reviews what you can do to improve as a supervisor or make their jobs easier. While you may not get completely candid feedback, you may gain some insights that you can use to refine your management techniques. The steps you take to improve can have lasting results in terms of employee motivation, satisfaction and loyalty.

 

For more management and career advice, listen to Robert Half’s podcast series, The Management Minute, at www.rhi.com/podcast.

 

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Paul McDonald is the executive director of Robert Half Management Resources, North America’s largest consulting services firm providing senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project basis. Robert Half Management Resources is a division of Robert Half International. For further information, visit Robert Half Management Resources’ website at www.roberthalfmr.com or call 1-888-400-7474.