The “Dirty Dozen”: Top 12 Management Mistakes

Management Fights Change: Management is always struggling to maintain the “status quo”, defending what is versus looking ahead as to what can be. He/she always opposes the new ideas and insists the past ways are the only ways of running this type of business.

Management Becomes Defensive: He/she will guard against “attacks” of any kind, as management does not want to be questioned or challenged. He/she never moves forward, or stick their necks out or takes a personally perceived risk.

Management Is “Fixed” & Inflexible: Management consistently takes its position and refuses to move from it. He/she will not bend and act as if he/she is totally incapable of any compromise.

Management Has No Team Spirit: He/she seemingly always wants to do it all themselves. He/she wants no suggestions, no criticism and no help of any kind. They act as if even a helper is a threat to them.

Management Has Personal Problems: He/she really does drink to excess and has family problems. They seem to have developed a type of neurosis, coming up with a “secret” problem about which he/she will say nothing.

Management is Fat and Lazy: His/her time has “arrived”! Management acts as if it is secure, confident in his/her shop and its complete willingness to “carry him/her” for the rest of their time within it.

Management Won’t Take a Risk: He/she won’t enter into competition of any kind, to suggest a new system, a new service, a new way of doing things as all these actions present just too many hazards, too great to bear.

Management Is Without Imagination: He/she cannot or will not think creatively. He/she refuses to reach out and “stretch” his/her mind to the broad horizons.

Management Is Disorganized: He/she jumps irrationally from one job to another job and is fragmented and just wastes time. He/she seemingly begins a job in the middle, works on two jobs at the same time, and always does unimportant work first.

Management Flies into Rages: He/she seems to fail at exercising emotional control. Management rants and raves and insults his/her subordinates and intimidates his/her business peers. He/she is himself/herself upset and unproductive within the business.

Management Passes the Buck: Whether it is a minor mistake or a colossal catastrophe, he/she either can’t, or won’t, accept responsibility or even casual involvement in it.

Management Has a Poor Understanding of People: He/she lacks the ability to listen and to hear the people with whom he/she works with. Management can’t be sympathetic, or kind, and, therefore, is rarely helpful.