Challenging Poor Management in the Workplace

The first step in challenging poor management is to recognize the signs and behaviors that can signal the manager is not doing a good job. Observe the manager in action and identify skill gaps. You can do this by job shadowing the manager in question. You might not know you are not performing basic tasks yourself, but your manager might need additional training, mentoring, or support to become effective. Eventually, you should be able to identify the signs and behaviors that indicate the manager needs to be challenged and retrained.

Observing the manager in action

Observing the manager in action is a vital process in challenging poor management. Most managers are capable of productive observations when given clear expectations, adequate training, and ongoing coaching. These factors are similar to those outlined for other organizational objectives. If you observe poor management, the manager must be challenged and/or improved. There are several methods for doing this. The first is to simply talk to the manager concerned. Ask him about his actions and what you observed. Make sure to include specific examples of his or her behavior, so that the manager knows what you're talking about.

Treating employees fairly and consistently

While many managers have the best of intentions when they say they treat employees fairly, they often confuse fairness with equality. While all employees have some level of equality, there are subtle differences among workers. Bob and Sandy might both perform the same job role, but their work styles may be completely different. Achieving fairness and equality in the workplace will foster employee trust and engagement. Here are three ways to challenge poor management in the workplace.

One way to promote fairness in the workplace is to give credit to employees for their ideas and contributions. By giving credit for ideas and contributions, managers can foster a sense of worker support and collegiality. Giving credit to employees can inspire them to contribute more, and it can be a powerful motivating factor. But if they are not given any credit, they may be demoralized. If employees don't feel valued or have their ideas and talents recognized, they are more likely to feel unappreciated, and this can lead to a lack of productivity.

Keeping rules consistent is another way to build respect among employees. People respond to fairness and consistency. When people believe that a manager is fair and consistent, they will be more likely to respect them and be loyal to the company. Treating employees fairly will also enhance your reputation. Regardless of your position in the company, it is vital to uphold rules and treat them fairly. Even if you don't know all of the details, employees will always react to your behavior.

Fairness can also extend to the way work is assigned. For example, if Sandy works hard to meet her quota, he might not feel valued and respected, so if his boss gives him preferential treatment because of his superior's status, he might feel resentful toward Sandy. Or if Bob is repeatedly late to work, the latter could even stop working as hard. The same applies for other situations, such as when an employee receives favoritism.

Creating a team led by a bad boss

If your boss has a reputation for rejecting ideas and minimizing collaboration, you might want to challenge him or her by creating a team led by a good boss. Great collaboration is based on trust, communication, and respect. But a bad boss lacks all of these qualities. And if you have to work with this kind of manager, you'd better know what to do.

To start, identify the problems your bad boss is causing. If his or her team isn't performing up to expectations, it's easy to point fingers at other people. A more solution-oriented response would be to identify the problem and find a way to resolve it. Avoid pointing fingers. You'll be surprised by the results. By identifying the root causes of underperformance, you'll also discover what's holding back the team's performance.