The indecisive and powerless manager
Posted on May 2, 2009 by Tom
“Let me think about it”, “I need some more time.”, “I need more information.”. Are there any other sentences that strip a manager from all the power he has over his employees?
Managers used to be untouchable fortresses of solitude, a common employer could never grasp the complexities, the decisions that had to be taken on a daily basis that could effect the welfare of the company. Managers were unquestionable, especially the first generation ones, because they proved they were ’smarter’ than the rest of us, that they could lead, even when times are tough. They had the power and weren’t afraid to use it. Whether people agreed or not, they knew one thing for sure, he’s the boss and we have got to listen. But now it seems like we have a lot of indecisive managers, maybe not ready yet to lead, but by good fortune managed to get a hold of a great job.
Indecisiveness. Personally, I’d prefer a manager that doesn’t decide than one that’s indecisive. At least with the first you have a decisive answer. But some managers are so afraid of making mistakes that they spend more time trying not to make any than they do managing. Weird enough they are more afraid of their employees and how they will respond when they take a wrong decision than they are of the results of that decision.
Most managers don’t realize that by being indecisive, even if given an explanation (”There’s a lot at stake”, “I can’t afford any mistakes”,…), they relinquish any power they have as a manager. It seems like managers are just as afraid of losing their jobs as the people they’re trying to lead. But that’s what they’re there to do. To lead. Even if that means making a mistake that has an effect on everybody. It’s the responsibility they’ve trained for. And they don’t even have to take a decision when they’re not ready to make one, but they don’t need to give an explanation either, as long as their employees can count on them.
