In my experience, a bad manager can do damage much faster than a good manager can fix things. I've seen awful managers literally dismantle a well-functioning section of an organization in what seems like an instant.
As far as I can tell no one aims to be a bad manager. In fact, poor managers never realize the harm they are inflicting on an organization. As someone once told me, "People who don't get it, don't know that they don't get it." (Ironically, the person who passed this bit of wisdom on to me didn't get it either. Or, maybe, I'm the one who doesn't get it?) That means bad managers don't mean to be bad managers. They just don't know what they are doing.
To be fair, most managers don't know what they are doing. It's just that the good ones realize it and are determined to find out what they should do.
"Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!"
The number one problem people have when they become new manager is they think that they are supposed to do something. They want to leave their mark to prove that they are a good manager. That means things need to change—even if everything is already working pretty well. This is not necessarily bad if the manager knows what needs to be done, but that is rarely the case.
I've watched a friend of mine go through a couple of jobs in the last number of years. This is a person who is successful no matter where he goes—despite management. Just like many other people, he has had to deal with managers who make capricious decisions that have a severe impact on him and the organization. The managers have been totally blind to the effects of making changes which without much thought dramatically alter the lives of workers. They actually believe that as managers their job is to do something. In the process, they lower company morale and devastate systems. Eventually, as noted in the Oats and Hall song, "The strong give up and move on, While the weak give up and stay." The best people leave. This is what my friend has ultimately done in these situations. Coincidentally (or maybe not), in both cases the horrible manager has been fired after his departure. Ironic that the behavior of these awful managers which was so unsettling for my friend and other members of the organization resulted in their own ultimate downfall.
My advice to new managers is no nothing—at least until you learn what really needs to be done.
What Needs to be Done?
The second mistake new managers make is thinking that they know what needs to be done without any internal input. It is possible that an organization needs a thorough cleanout, but unless a group is not performing at all, it's impossible to know that without an investigation. If the unit you're managing was performing before your arrival, then the mantra is "Don't screw it up." Your brilliance may lie in your ability to not tinker with things by keeping your hands in your pockets. This is not as easy as it sounds for people who lack self-confidence.
In any case, the only way a new manager can find out what's really going on is by talking to the people who are already there. Most people spend their work life evaluating the problems with the place where they work. If a manager takes the time to really listen a wealth of information will be accumulated in a relatively short period. This is especially true in organizations that are running well.
If the group has poor performance, the new manager needs to go through the same investigation by interviewing juniors, but then he or she will need to make full use of their "crap detector." There will be gems of wisdom available, but they will come from unexpected (and usually previously suppressed) places.
The beauty of investigating before making any changes is that a plan is likely to emerge on its own—if you truly listen. Sadly, the truth is that most people are thinking about what they are planning to say while pretending to listen. The worst managers will go through the motions while ignoring the warnings and opportunities offered by others. That's a corollary to the first quote, "People who don't listen, don't know that they don't listen."
I can't tell you how many times I asked someone what was said at a meeting only to get the words "I told them…" Hmm.
The "First Assistant To" Theory
It is often misunderstood that the job of a manager is not necessarily to change things. It is to create an environment where the best people can excel. I think it was Peter Drucker who said something to the effect that the job of a manager is to be the first assistant to everyone else. In other words, the job entails clearing obstacles, giving support, and resolving problems that make it difficult for people to live up to their potential. When you look at the management job from the "first assistant" perspective, finding out what you should be doing becomes easy—just ask them what will help them get their job done.
Tip: The best book for the basics of good management (regardless of the business or organization) is The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker. I first read this book 40 years ago and it is just as relevant today. This book includes the most important things a new manager needs to know. But be warned, as short and easy as the book is to read, if "you don't get it", you won't get this book either.
New managers often make the mistake of thinking that doing what got them promoted in the first place is the thing to do now. This is often a huge mistake. The skillset required to be a good manager—listening and clearing a path for others—is rarely what the person promotable in the first place. It is worth the time to rethink your skills and how they may be best utilized in the new job.
Unfortunately, no amount of advice will solve the problem of bad managers. One of the biggest problems is higher-ups don't give enough consideration to the skills required for management. Too often, they are promoted based on current success in a different job or seniority. Good managers tend to promote good managers while bad managers don't even take the time to consider the important questions
If you work for someone so unfit for the job that they get in the way of you doing your job, then the only option may be to move on. It's unlikely that there is anything you can do to change the person and reporting them up the chain of command will likely only make the situation worse. My advice is to move to a new job where there is a chance that you will work for someone who knows what they're doing. Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side.
If you happen to get that new managerial job, then tread softly with your eyes wide open. It may take a while to build your credibility and strengthen the organization, but if you move too fast, you risk creating a terrible wasteland.
