Tendency to micromanage
According to INC.com, ambitious managers who want to get the most out of their teams often end up engaging in micromanagement. They monitor every step their subordinates take and try to control everything that happens. This behaviour leads to frustration among employees, loss of motivation, and a reluctance to perform at their best.
Unrealistic expectations and overly ambitious goals
Sometimes managers try to push subordinates towards a better performance by setting highly ambitious goals which are extremely difficult to achieve. However, this is not an effective motivational strategy. Once employees realise a goal is unattainable, they may either stop trying altogether or become discouraged when they fail to reach it, even if their performance is otherwise objectively good.
Pedantic adherence to administrative tasks and lengthy procedures
Rules and clearly defined processes are generally positive elements of management, but only up to a certain point. If strict adherence to them begins to disrupt team efficiency, and a manager insists every administrative step must always be followed, even when unnecessary, productivity suffers. A productive team must function with at least some degree of agility. Employees need the freedom to work independently, without being overburdened by routine tasks or rigid processes.
Inability or unwillingness to delegate work
Team leaders sometimes believe they can improve efficiency and productivity by keeping key or "important" tasks for themselves. However, this often results in an excessive workload, creating a bottleneck which slows down the entire team. Moreover, the assumption that a manager can handle these tasks best on their own is often mistaken. A good manager of an effective team needs to know how to delegate work and, in addition to individual tasks, also gradually transfer responsibility and decision-making authority to subordinates.
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