Page 89 - Becoming a Successful Manager

80 ESTABLISHING A SOLID DEPARTMENTAL FOUNDATION

reaction will likely not feel the need to live up to a higher stan-
dard and, moreover, will likely not respect the manager who
behaves in this fashion.

• They fail to fulfi ll their promises or deny that they made
promises. Breaking promises not only conveys a noncaring,
insensitive attitude but also says to others that being untrust-
worthy is an acceptable behavior. Imagine if this were what
employees learned from you, and then imagine what would
happen if they were to carry these same negative behaviors
over to their interactions with your customers. If employees
repeatedly promise customers that they will receive a product
by a certain date and then fail to follow through on these
promises, you will fi nd your customer base quickly decreas-
ing. Instead, by setting a higher standard for members of your
department, you encourage similar behavior on their part and
garner their trust.

• They breed negativity by accentuating what is wrong with the
department, playing favorites, and speaking badly of employ-
ees to other members of the department. By harping on the
negative aspects of a department, managers drive employees
to play the “blame game” rather than fi nding ways to fi x the
problems so the department is more productive. By playing
favorites, they exclude all nonfavorite members of the group
and stir negative feelings throughout. Employees who are not
receiving encouragement and supervision will not live up to
their highest potential and will end up resenting the manager’s
“pets,” while those receiving all of the manager’s attention may
feel entitled to benefi ts they did not earn and may perceive
themselves as above working with and listening to their fellow