Those last five seconds of the New Year countdown can be quite emotional! Reflections on whether you’ve accomplished everything you set out to over the past year, and projections of what the dawning year will hold are wrapped into a single moment of anticipation and nostalgia.
Whatever dominates your thoughts during this season of renewal, the end of the year is always a great time to ponder the mistakes made in the past year and set a course for success in the New Year. The same goes for managers who are wise to use the end of the year as an opportunity to think about how to avoid five major management mistakes.
Counting down from five, there’s great wisdom in considering some of the top management mistakes that can cause challenges and issues in the New Year. And as the sun rises on 2012, it makes good sense to consider the best strategies for avoiding these blunders. Some of the top management mistakes for 2011, not to be repeated in 2012…
- Mistake #5: Thinking money is all that matters. While money is important, it won’t drive motivation in the long term. Managers must focus on the sources of intrinsic motivation if they want to drive sustained employee commitment.
- Mistake #4: Using an employee’s age or generation as a predictor of ability. Research shows that employees of all levels and ages are guilty of age stereotyping, a practice that can be extremely detrimental to your team’s morale and productivity. Instead, the successful manager should focus on connecting with all employees on the individual, human level and on promoting cross-generational collaboration.
- Mistake #3: Resisting teleworking. Teleworking not only provides benefits in employee retention and morale, but also boosts productivity and reduces operating costs. Managers can be quick to cite reasons that they’re against teleworking, but for many companies with proper virtual leadership, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
- Mistake #2: Training through a narrow-minded outlook. Thinking that effective training can only take place in a classroom setting is so… well… last year! The 2012 approach is all about multiple modalities, a blended approach, and understanding the benefits of informal, immersive learning.
- And the #1 Management Mistake to avoid in 2012? Underestimating the power of reflection. Research shows that managers who are aware of their own leadership strengths and liabilities, who adjust current strategies adopt new strategies, and recognize strengths and liabilities in other people, are better equipped to lead and effective team.
Happy New Year from the entire team at AchieveGlobal, and may all your management decisions be bright!
Sharon Daniels is CEO of AchieveGlobal in Tampa, Florida
