Five Reasons Managers Aren’t Managing, According to Leannebridges

In a recent LinkedIn post, Leannebridges explores common reasons why managers may not be effectively managing their teams, drawing on her extensive experience working with over 150 Managing Directors (MDs). Leannebridges identifies five key areas she examines first when diagnosing these issues, emphasizing that the problems are often more visible to leadership than might be initially assumed.

The Core Issues Hindering Effective Management

Leannebridges begins by questioning the actual daily activities of managers, suggesting a disconnect between job descriptions and reality. She points out that many managers spend their time predominantly in reactive modes.

“What do the managers actually do all day? Not what their job description says. What they actually spend their time on. In most businesses, the answer is: Reacting. Fixing. Answering questions. Not managing.”

This observation highlights a critical shift from proactive management to crisis intervention, which Leannebridges argues is a primary symptom of ineffective management structures.

Accountability and Action After Meetings

Another significant area Leannebridges scrutinizes is the follow-through on actions agreed upon in meetings. She notes that a common failing in many businesses is the lack of accountability for these agreed-upon tasks.

According to Leannebridges, the issue isn’t necessarily a lack of employee commitment, but rather a failure to establish simple, effective systems for ensuring tasks are completed. She states:

“Actions get agreed. I look at whether they actually get done. In most businesses, they don’t. Not because people don’t care. Because they’ve not found the easy way to make sure they happen.”

This suggests that while intentions may be good, the practical execution and follow-up mechanisms are often lacking, leading to stagnation.

Delegation and Time Management for Leadership

Leannebridges also addresses the habits of MDs themselves, specifically focusing on delegation. She analyzes how much of an MD’s week is spent on tasks that could and should be handled by others.

As Leannebridges observes, this often amounts to a larger portion of their time than they might realize, indicating a potential bottleneck at the top and a missed opportunity for developing other team members.

Addressing Interpersonal Friction and Unspoken Issues

The fifth and sixth points in Leannebridges’s analysis delve into the less overt, yet equally damaging, aspects of workplace dynamics: friction and unspoken conversations. She differentiates between outright arguments and the more insidious, low-level friction that often bypasses direct resolution and lands on the MD’s desk.

“Where does friction between people sit? Not outright arguments. The small stuff that goes through the MD instead of being dealt with directly. The complaints that never get said to the right person.”

Furthermore, Leannebridges emphasizes the importance of crucial conversations that are notably absent. She points to performance issues that go unaddressed or individuals who are passively avoided by colleagues.

“What conversations aren’t happening? There’s always at least one. Usually more. The performance issue nobody’s raising. The person everyone works around. The thing the MD knows needs saying but hasn’t yet found a way to say.”

Leannebridges concludes that while these issues are often discernible by leadership, the path to resolution can be the most challenging part. She offers a direct call to action for those identifying three or more of these issues in their own businesses, inviting them to connect for a consultation on prioritizing fixes.