Nicole Monturo | Coaching & Development

Nicole Monturo is an accomplished executive and leadership expert.

Tag: boss

Tactics to Help You Survive Your Micromanaging Boss

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On June 22, 2017

In Leadership, Nicole Monturo

Every new job comes with opportunities as well as turmoil. But, every new intern or employee has one thing in common – they must learn to respect their seniors. But, what if your boss is making it impossible for you to abide by his orders?

Well, most might deny the existence of such a situation. Following orders isn’t rocket science! Why would anyone have trouble meeting a few deadlines if they do not neglect work and have a taste for an organized lifestyle?  

People who think the above are possibly unfamiliar with “micromanaging”.

What’s Micromanaging?

Have you ever seen people interfering with every little thing? Or worse, have you seen your boss fiddling around while you’re doing an assignment to make sure everything is in order?

Well, there’s a term for these people are doing: micromanaging. This means that the person may be incredibly controlling and needs to supervise every task performed by the enterprise.

How To Avoid An Awkward Micromanagement Situation?

We know that bosses don’t like being corrected very often, so this means that calling him/her out on this behavior is likely not the wisest of choices. On the same token, it’s not feasible to function in an environment where your boss calls you every other hour to make sure you’re ahead on the deadline (which is more than likely days away). So, how do you manage in this kind of environment?

Here are a few of the tips you need to know to handle your micromanaging boss:

 

  1. Don’t start a fight – When you find your boss sitting in a chair near your cubicle to make sure you’re working on a report, try to calm yourself. You might be boiling in anger but it’s not prudent to have an outburst at the place where you get your paycheck. People management isn’t everybody’s forte, and your boss isn’t an expert on people. Hence, it might be so, that he or she is a little too eager at this task. Be patient with your boss.
  2. Try to consult your boss – One of the signs of micromanaging is to expect consultancy from your employees. So, to avoid their micromanaging skills to take a toll on you, take advice from your boss as often as possible.
  3. Keep them updated – Tell your boss how far you are in your work. That’ll help them to understand that you can meet the deadlines without them having to bother you constantly.
  4. Report any problem – If there is a discrepancy in meeting with a deadline, communicate that to your boss, beforehand. But, mostly, try to do the work on time.

Try to handle people patiently. That’ll help you keep your job and your dignity.

Why Great Managers Know How to Use Their Manners

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On June 16, 2017

In Leadership, Nicole Monturo

Leaders in the world of business are generally perceived as displaying a sense of authority and power. It has been traditionally acceptable for people sitting in senior positions to display autocratic tendencies, advancing their careers and growing their businesses by commanding fear, instead of respect.

But the growth of the startup culture in the past decade has debunked these styles of leadership and opened the doors for a completely new form of management.

Definition Of Good Leader

Being a good boss goes hand-in-hand with being an effective leader. Eve Poole, who is an associate lecturer at a business school, a consultant, speaker and an author on effective leadership, gives many insights into what makes a good leader in her latest book Leadersmithing.

The results may surprise you. Gone are the days when it was acceptable to be aggressive and unyielding to get the job done. In order to be a good manager, it is more important to practice at good manners.

Good manners aren’t just a necessity at social gatherings. With networking and social media, among other things playing such a crucial role, it is also a necessary tool in the growth of any business.

Key Strengths Of A Leader

Good leadership is about effectively guiding people towards your vision, bringing about change and growth by bringing out the best in people, and not by bullying them. It isn’t always just important to be right, but even more so to being respected. Charm can also work wonders.

How To Acquire Good Manners

Good manners are not merely an innate personality trait. Poole believes that with adequate practice, anyone can become well-mannered. She gives the example of how a pearl can be seen as a metaphor for corporate leadership. It is created to combat the harshness of grit with something smooth and beautiful. Although it occurs naturally, it can also be cultivated, as can good manners. It is a kind of shortcut to good leadership in times of adversity.

A few easy techniques include thanking people for doing a good job, narrating facts in story form rather than as lectures, making eye contact, and most importantly, learning to listen to other people’s viewpoints, regardless of hierarchy.

Being a good manager isn’t just about managing people, it’s more important to motivate them. That’s the key to getting the maximum productivity from the people you work with.

 

leadership

Being a Boss vs. Being a Leader

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On October 24, 2016

In Leadership, Nicole Monturo

Many people confuse the difference between a boss and a leader. There are many factors that are overlooked, although they may sound as though they have the same responsibilities. The best thing to remember is that a leader leads and a boss (manager) manages. Ultimately, bosses can grow and become leaders through practice and development. The key thing is to understand the difference in characteristics. Here are the top differences of a boss vs. leader to keep in mind.

1. Positioning

Titles are a big distractor when it comes to the differences between managers and leaders. Managers tend to remind others that they are “the boss”. Unlike bosses, leaders don’t remind others of their title. Typically a leader is chosen through the people that are inspired by that person, therefore many leaders may not realize their “position” until later. A leader works with the team on the same level, to create mutual understanding and communication amongst each other. This creates inspiration and motivation, rather than instilling fear into employees. Leaders are there to help create and do, while managers tend to oversee while focusing on the title/ hierarchy of their positions.

2. Team Work

One of the biggest factors that define the difference between a leader and a manager is the ability to develop and lead a team. A leader focuses on creating relationships with others in order to establish an effective team. Leaders know that an effective relationship and trust among team members will lead to overall positive outcomes, therefore, leaders trust their members to complete their tasks and innovate their ideas. This allows for team members to build their self-confidence and become more productive. Bosses (or managers), on the other hand, don’t make relationships a priority. Managers focus on getting things done, in order to move onto the next task. Learning and growing through the process is the least of their concerns. Bosses focus on an individual’s position, rather than overall teamwork. Managers tend to create fear and distraction through micro-managing, which ultimately leads to an unhealthy relationship between the boss and employee. Managers don’t expect to establish and grow a relationship amongst the team because their philosophy of getting things done has already been established through past managers.

3. Leading vs. Managing

There is a huge difference between leading and managing. Many bosses tend to focus on managing rather than leading, but in order to reach an overall goal, successful leadership is necessary. Leadership is a process that helps develop others. Leaders know that overall success happens because of everyone that contributes effort. People are more likely to contribute when they are being praised for their work and feel as though their position is important to the team. Leaders focus on helping others learn and grow through their mistakes.  Managing is a job that tends to oversee another’s position. Managers tend to provide very little feedback and have a “right” or “wrong” attitude for their employees. They focus on getting work done through a strict process that has already been established by someone else, therefore taking risks is not something that managers tend to do. Leaders on the other hand, will take risks and challenges with the philosophy of learning and growing throughout the process. They believe these types of actions will allow a member to boost critical thinking and problem solving skills, ultimately developing an individual.

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