ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Management Failure: The Minion-Minded Manager

Updated on July 10, 2014
jpcmc profile image

I'm a Catholic dad and husband. That's the most important part of me.

Source

Why do managers fail? Several managers were asked the same question. The top answers include lack of experience, lack of knowledge and skills and lack of confidence. Although these answers are contributory to the failure of managers, I believe there’s something deeper to consider.

Some managers spend years honing their knowledge and skills but to no avail. In spite of all those self-help books, management seminars even personal coaching, they are still in a dismal place. In contrast, there are newbies who perform at astonishing rates. So why are there excellent managers and why are there pathetic ones? Is it because of their experience - or the lack thereof? Is it their knowledge and skills? Is it the absence of confidence? Well, the truth is I don’t know. But I believe successful managers took on the responsibility while the pathetic ones simply took on the title.

The Minion Minded-Manger

I use the term “minion” not as a derogatory term. Rather, it illustrates that minions are followers. Moreover, minion-minded manager emphasizes the failure to think like a manager.

On the other hand, model managers make a shift in paradigm. Obviously this has been said countless of times before. Nevertheless, only a few take heed. Here are a few differences between being minion-minded and being a model manager . In addition, allow me to suggest ways to break the old habits.

Source

1. Personal growth vs. team growth

First of all, there is nothing wrong with thinking of one’s personal growth. In fact, you need to this. Although as a manager, your plans must include every person in the team. Minion-mindedness overlooks the importance of individual performance in creating a stronger and more productive team. So go ahead and think about your own growth and development. However, never forget to consider your people’s growth and development as well. Every person’s improvement is another step towards a more reliable and productive team.

Breaking the habit:

"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they are going to be dead by midnight. Extend them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster. Your life will never be the same again.” Og Mandino couldn’t have set it better. In simple terms, nurture your team’s development every day. In addition, remember that your team is as good as the weakest person. As such, know the weaknesses of your team and improve them.

Do you still micromanage?

See results

2. Assigned task vs. overall process

Managers must realize that their task is to manage the whole process not just a specific step. A minion-minded manager will focus on one task (even a few at a time) but will rarely consider the big picture. A manager’s ability to accomplish targets is anchored on his capability to oversee the whole process. Moreover, a model manager will try to find ways to innovate the process, improve work conditions, increase productivity and enhance quality of life. This can only be done if the manager let’s go of micromanaging and starts looking at the bigger picture.

Breaking the habit:

Many managers think that the best way to do things right is to do it themselves. Your team members may not have the same level of proficiency compared to you but you cannot do everything on your own. Anthea Turner aptly illustrates this when she said, “The first rule of management is delegation. Don’t try to do everything yourself because you can’t.” Break this nasty minion-minded habit by delegating tasks. If the assigned person does not produce at par with your expectations then coach him/her to do better. Learn to trust and delegate.

3. Personal achievement vs. team accomplishments

Challenges whether small or gargantuan are a source of personal achievements. Cultivate the appreciation of personal victories. Many managers leave it at that. But do not stop there! Instead consider the value of team accomplishments. Moreover, instill shared responsibility to strengthen the commitment of every person. A minion-minded manager will simply focus on individual accomplishments. A model manager will go beyond.

Remember, excellent teams help each other grow. Nurturing each one will eventually benefit the whole team

Breaking the habit:

Share the department’s goals with everyone. Nothing can motivate people than knowing the reasons for their labors. Furthermore, show how one’s outputs are interconnected to other person’s tasks. By doing this, everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. It’s the team that benefits when everyone sees their task in relation to the team’s goals. Pat Riley, an accomplished NBA executive and coach puts this idea clearly, “Great teamwork is the only way we can create the breakthroughs that define our careers.”

Resources that might interest you

The Art of Looking Busy – Improving Corporate Culture and Performance

Team productivity is paramount to success. However, some employees are very creative in the way they use their time at the office.

How To Harness The Power of Listening

When we fail to listen, we fail to communicate.

The Importance of Flexibility in Planning

Discover how important flexibility is in implementing a successful plan.

Accountability: The Art of Owning the Task

The productivity of an organization is determined in part by the level of accountability of each member of the team.

4. Impact on me vs. impact on the department/company

What will it benefit you to accomplish a certain task? This is a logical question before you commit yourself to an endeavor. Though this is accepted by many, it is a minion-minded manager’s way of seeing the cause and effect. In contrast, a model manager will consider the impact of his actions beyond his self. Minion-minded managers fail to recognize how their actions affect the department and the organizations – and even the whole industry.

Breaking the habit:

Think like a chess player. Instead of simply considering the immediate outcome of your actions, consider several steps ahead. Forethought allows model manager to assess different scenarios and come up with the best solution. Like stones thrown into a pond, ripples radiate outwards. So consider what happens to the people under you and the people above you. No action is so isolated that it will not affect anyone other than you.

Minion-minded managers are the ones who fail. They take on the title of manager but fail to think and act like one. The right mindset will propel you from a minion-minded manager to a model manager.

This shift in mindset is not just pivotal to the company's success. But to your own success as well. If you wish to be successful as a manager, you need to get rid of the unproductive behaviors and mindset and start acting and thinking like a manager now.

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)