Danger Signals - Problem Managers

• Telephone message pileups
  
• Client/customer complaints about unreturned telephone calls
  
• Trying to keep up with it all without a high priority task list
  
• Keeping clients/customers waiting for service/meetings too long (and too often!)
  
• Refusing to change outdated habits and systems
  
• Holding irregular or no employee/staff meetings
  
• Offering too little training or supervision
  
• Treating employees/staff arrogantly, disrespectfully and/or rudely
  
• Chronic disorganization
  
• Failing to assign priorities to employee/staff tasks/assignments
  
• Unclear or incomplete instructions to employees/staff
  
• Failure to properly supervise
  
• Insufficient file documentation (e.g. no client engagement agreements, signed customer contracts)
  
• Disorganized, sloppy files and paper management (or lack thereof!)
  
• Failing to keep clients/customers timely informed
  
• Unexplained and excessive absences
  
• No long range plan for office/business/firm
  
• Poor personal care (e.g. no exercise, unhealthy diet, no vacations)
  
• Excessive reliance on employees for things only manager should do
  
• Failing to keep personal calendar
  
• Poor team player (e.g. "What's in it for me?" attitudes)
  
• Competitive attitude with partners/other managers/principals
  
• Behind-the-back talker about other employees
  
• Sloppy time manager
  
• Failing to talk fully and clearly about costs/charges/fees with clients/customers
  
• Excessive drinking
  
• Flirting or otherwise harassing others
  
• Allowing personal relationships interfere or block wise business decisions
  
• Rubber-stamping employee’s work product without careful review
  
• Angry, hostile attitudes
  
• Inconsistent and/or unfair application/enforcement of company/firm policy & procedures
  
• Works with "cloud" overhead; obviously unhappy person
  
• Stretches the truth or frequently misleads or lies

Danger Signals - Problem Employees