Page 88 - Becoming a Successful Manager

Perpetuating a Problem-Solving Culture 79

employees. They also discourage employees from contributing
their knowledge and experience and make them feel guilty for
making mistakes.

• They make employees feel stupid for asking questions or sharing
ideas. An old saying tells us that there are no stupid questions.
In fact, if you want to know the answer to a question, it’s stupid
not to ask. By discouraging employees from asking questions
or presenting ideas, whether this is stated or conveyed through
negative reactions, a manager fails in one of the job’s main
functions: to be a teacher. This message causes employees to
be afraid to take risks, even reasonable ones. Since all progress
requires a certain amount of risk, instilling a fear of taking risks
and of making mistakes is tantamount to preventing employees
from growing.

• They dignify defensiveness by allowing an employee to blame
others for failing to fulfi ll his or her own responsibilities, by
accepting excuses as substitutes for facts, or by condoning
behaviors that do not serve the best interests of the department.
Actions that do not lead a person at least one step closer to
meeting reasonable objectives are ineffective. Accepting scape-
goating, excuses, or counterproductive behavior does not solve
problems. On the contrary, it impedes the problem-solving
process.

• They are disrespectful toward their employees. Respect and
trust are the framework of any good relationship. Any action
that does not consider the feelings of employees or that is not
responsive to their need to be trusted demonstrates a lack of
concern for them as people. An employee who meets with this