Help Dispel the Top Seven Managements Myths in Today's Workplace

Why do most managers fail to spend enough time attending to the basics of managing people? Managers tell me, "I don't have time for all that. And I'm not a natural--I'm just not that good at managing." I tell managers "You don't have time NOT to manage people. You have to learn the basics and practice them." That's often when managers start blaming HR. Managers tell me, "HR has told us over and over again: 'Don't micromanage. Treat people fairly. Build rapport with employees. Avoid confrontations. Follow the rules.'"

I think managers so often misunderstand what HR is trying to tell them and, as a result, there are seven great myths that have arisen among managers in today's workplace. Please join my campaign to correct the seven biggest management myths today:

#1. The Myth of Empowerment: The way to empower people is to leave them alone and let them manage themselves. What is the reality? Almost everybody performs better with more guidance, direction, and support from a more experienced person. If you want to truly empower people, then you simply must define goals, with clear guidelines and concrete deadlines. Within clearly articulated parameters, a direct report has power. Limited power? Yes. But it also has the great virtue of being real power.

#2. The Myth of Fairness: The way to be fair is to treat everybody the same. What is the reality? What's truly fair is doing more for some people and less for others, based on what they deserve--based on their performance.

#3. The Myth of the Nice Guy: The only way to be strong is to act like a jerk, but I want to be a "nice guy." What is the reality? Real "nice guy" managers do what it takes to help employees succeed so those employees can deliver great service for customers and earn more rewards for themselves.

#4. The Myth of the Difficult Conversation: Being hands-off is the way to avoid confrontations with employees. What is the reality? Being a weak manager makes these confrontations inevitable, whereas being a strong manager means these confrontations rarely occur, and when they do happen they are not so painful after all.

#5. The Myth of Red Tape: Managers are prevented from being strong because there are so many factors beyond their control--red tape, corporate culture, senior management, limited resources. What is the reality? Focusing on the many factors THAT ARE within your control is the way to make yourself stronger. Meanwhile, learn the rules and red tape so you learn how to work within and around them (another way to increase your strength).

#6. The Myth of the Natural Leader: I am not "good at" managing. What is the reality? The best managers are people--natural or not--who learn proven techniques, practice those techniques diligently until they become skills, and continue practicing them until they become habits.

#7. The Myth of Time: There's isn't enough time to manage people. What is the reality? Since your time is so limited, you definitely don't have time to deal with all the things that go wrong when you do not spend enough time up-front managing people.