3 Ways to Protect Good Managers from Becoming Jerk-holes
Lousy managers think jerk-holery is an asset. Well-intentioned managers can slip into obnoxious behaviors because some jerk-holes are great at delivering results.
3 ways to protect good managers from becoming jerk-holes
#1. Protect good managers from dancing egos.
You stay calm on the outside when you earn a promotion, but on the inside ego dances. A little ego is healthy and necessary. A dancing ego makes you a jerk-hole.
Ask newly promoted managers to make a list of 5 things they don’t want to do during the first 90-days of their new assignment.
Ask managers to think of the best managers they have ever known. Make a list of the behaviors that made them successful. Notice if they list skills or character qualities.
Discuss their list:
- Which items reflect skills?
- Which items reflect character traits?
- Which three behaviors on your list are most valuable to you right now?
- Which three behaviors on your list are most important for long-term success?
- How might you practice humility as this assignment begins?
#2. Protect good managers from shrinking brains.
Jerk-holes know it all. A closed mind shrinks.
Success confirms. Failure opens minds.
Protect good managers by teaching them to stay open when things go well.
Open mind projects:
- Track how many times you change your thinking over the next two weeks.
- Ask, “What do I need to know about this?” 3x a day for a week.
- Recall a time when you thought you were right, but you were wrong. What can you do to avoid that situation in the future?
#3. Protect good managers from the dangers of time-pressure.
Jerk-holes are rude and obnoxious.
A manager in a rush makes excuses for obnoxious behaviors.
Soften your tone. Relax your breathing. Remember what you like about the person in front of you. Say, “Thank you,” regularly.
What are some ways to protect good managers from slipping into obnoxious behaviors?
Still curious:
24 Ways to Challenge People Without being a Jerk-Hole – Leadership Freak
What a great interview question: tell us about a time that you thought you were right, but you were in fact wrong. Thank you for your posts – they always cause me to pause and reflect.
Thanks Travis. Overconfidence is associated with selective memory. We forget our failures and remember our successes. Cheers