We don’t meant to do it. We all have dreams of happy coworkers and staff and the dream of finally being able to create that productive and loyal staff that we may not have experienced on our way up is so real! But, wait, why isn’t this happening? Why are our staff are not producing or creative, and disgruntled, to boot. Before your start considering the pink slips, is it you?
Being dismissive comes in all kinds of forms, but the emotions it provokes–those of not being heard, not being valued, and frankly, taking up space– are real and will negatively spiral to a point where good staff will likely leave on their own and others will just make your day-to-day interactions uncomfortable and likely, confrontational. So what are the worst of the dismissive managerial behaviors that will ruin your corporate culture?
1. The know-it-all. Executives are generally (not always, I know!) sitting in the seat they are in because they have skills and knowledge. But, your staff are talented too, if you have selected the right hires! How much talking are you doing in meetings? How many times do you jump in to finish what one of your staff is starting to explain? Do you recall pulling up “policy or procedures” when your staff start proposing an idea? These behaviors are the fastest way to kill your staffs motivation and demotivate them from risking. You are dismissing their ideas, their skills and their opportunity to evolve ideas before they get out of the gate.
2. Non-response. How many emails are waiting for a response in your inbox? How many things are on your desk awaiting your review? How many proposals are stacked up waiting for that next meeting–which you have promised and cancelled many times? While you may have been proud to pass along that special assignment, and may have encouraged them to be creative, your non-response has killed it. And everyday that goes by just erodes that enthusiasm and creates fodder for discussion amongst other staff as they share that they are waiting and waiting also–or being dismissed.
3. Not-invited. The c-suite should have glass doors, not closed doors. Let’s try no doors. Rank and title are not prerequisites for coming up with great ideas, and being title conscious will kill your corporate culture. I make a habit of sharing what I am working on and where I am stuck, often. It does put me at risk of appearing like I don’t know what I am doing to some staff, but to others, your high achievers and motivated ones, this will be an opportunity for them to ” be in the game” and have influence at the higher echelons. This is the opposite of being dismissive and builds confidence in your trust of them. So, share carefully, but don’t be automatically dismissive of your staff because they don’t have the title.
Being situationally aware and allowing yourself to be introspective and self-reflective will go a long way to improving your corporate culture. These are not magic pills, and there are always problem employees, but if you want to keep your good ones and want to have that happy and creative workplace that you always dreamed you would, then take a look and see if the one killing your corporate culture is really you.