Truemag

  • Newsletters
  • Thought Leadership
  • Mobility
  • Safety
  • Work Trucks
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • Who We Are

10 Common Mistakes Made By Managers

By Mike Cieri

Even the best managers will make errors in judgment when managing a staff of people, each with unique personalities, capabilities and needs, and it’s likely that we can all reflect on where we might have handled something with more skill.

Want to brush up on or test your own management skills? Here’s a handy list of ten common mistakes that leaders make in the course of managing talent.

  1. Not providing Feedback
  • Not letting people know how they are doing is like sending someone out on a hike without a compass and map. When you don’t provide feedback you are denying your associates the opportunity to improve.

 

  1. Making Snap decisions when responding to an employee’s request or complaint
  • If you do not take the time to think through or find out the reason behind the request or complaint, you will not be building trust or engagement.

 

  1. Being too “Hands-Off”
  • This balancing act is difficult. Many managers do not want to be seen as micromanaging, yet being too hands off fails to build teamwork and maintain direction or discipline.

 

  1. Failing to define Goals
  • Without knowing where we are heading, it’s hard to know when we get there. Your associates will not be nearly as productive if they do not know what they are working for nor prioritize their work.

 

  1. Being too Friendly
  • It’s been shown that people work for people not the company. We want to be seen as friendly and approachable. Yet, sometimes we have to make tough decisions about our associates and some people will take advantage of your relationship if you are too friendly. This doesn’t mean you can’t socialize, just set the boundaries clearly!

 

  1. Misunderstanding Motivation
  • Many managers make the mistake that money is the only motivating factor. This is rarely the case. Most people want to be appreciated/recognized, be a part of something bigger than themselves and/or want a balance between work and life.

 

  1. Hiring the Wrong People
  • It’s tempting at times when your team is under staffed to just hire a body. If you hire someone who is uncooperative, unproductive and ineffective, you hurt the moral and productivity of the team.

 

  1. Not “Walking the Talk”
  • As the leader of the team, you are the role model. Your team is watching your actions.

 

  1. Not Delegating
  • Delegating does take time, organization, and energy up front. If done properly, you will be building the bench strength of your department, building engagement and trust, and taking some of the pressure off of you.

 

  1. Misunderstanding Your Role
  • As a manager you are no longer an individual contributor. You are responsible for the work efforts and productivity of the team. This means the focus is on the team not you. You may have to use different skills than you used before to accomplish this.

 

About the Author

Mike Cieri, MSIR, is Vice President of Mardac Consultants and been in the Human Resource Management field for over 20 years. During this time he has held a variety of management positions, including several years on the executive management team of a large corporation as Vice President of Human Resources and Safety, as well as Vice President of Operations.

Read previous columns in Talent Management Column Archive

 

Oct 16, 2017Janice
LeasePlan USA Names Anthony Fina VP Business Development NEWould You Buy a Self-Driving Future From These Guys?
Recent Posts
  • 2025 NAFA I&E Wrap Up: A Promising and Productive Fleet Conference
  • A Call to Action: Modern Strategies and Emerging Technologies to Prove Fleet Marketing ROI
  • Q2 White Metal Market Report: Wholesale Used Vehicle Market Chugs Along in Face of Tariffs
  • Kelley Blue Book Names 12 Best Family Cars of 2025
  • Study Reveals Over Half of Americans Are Open to a Car Subscription Instead of Purchasing
  • EPA Administrator Going to War Against Emissions Requirements
  • Driver-Centric Telematics Could Be Secret Weapon In Fight Against Driver Churn
  • NETS: May 12-18 is Global Road Safety Week
  • American Fleet Leadership Coalition Defends Commercial Clean Vehicle Tax Credit
  • Auto Market Weekly Summary
ASSOCIATION NEWS
AFLA Education – A New Learning Experience!
NAFA and The Hourglass Foundation Announce Philanthropic Alliance Partnership
NAFA Launches New Fleet Safety Certificate Program
NAFA Announces the Inaugural Tom Johnson Award Winner: Patti Earley, CAFM
Propel Your Fleet at NAFA Institute & Expo 2025
NAFA 2025 Nominees: Fleet Technician, Fleet Professional of the Year Awards; Tom Johnson Award
NTEA Releases 18th Edition of Truck Equipment Handbook
TECHNOLOGY
Fleetology: Fleet Vehicle Fuel-Saving Innovations in 2025 – Progress, Adoption, and Returns
Chevin Fleet Solutions Launches Smart Integrate: Seamless API Integrations for FleetWave
No Scratch or Ding Escapes Hertz’s New Secret Weapon for Your Rental
Flete Presents Fleet Management, Reimagined
Do Smartphone Apps Hold the Key to Safer Drivers?
Why Today’s Vehicle Fleet Management Companies Are Lacking True TCO Power for Fleets
Teletrac Navman Survey: 83% of Fleets say AI is Future of Safety
CONFERENCES & WEBINARS
2025 NAFA I&E Wrap Up: A Promising and Productive Fleet Conference
Kudos, Caution and a Master Class
NAFA’s 2025 Media Day Highlights Groundbreaking Innovations
NAFA Announces Lineup for 2025 Indoor EV Test Track and Ride & Drive Experience at I&E
Fleet Advantage Offers Free Fleet Audits at ACT Expo; Address Tariffs, AI and Data Accuracy
Navigate to Success at AFLA 2025
A Call to Action: Fleet Industry Suppliers’ Marketing Strategies (Starting Now!) That Maximize the Value of NAFA I&E
INDUSTRY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wheels Honored with Multiple Stevie Awards: Innovation, DEI Achievement, and Corporate Social Responsibility
Vincentric Announces 2025 Best Fleet Value in America™ Awards: Ford, Toyota, and Stellantis Outperform the Competition
Vincentric Analysis of Electric Vehicles Finds 44% Have Lower Ownership Costs Than Comparable Gas Alternatives
Don’t Miss Out on The Fleet Event of the Year
GM Appoints Ian Hucker As New GM Envolve VP
ACERTUS Acquires Bluestar Auto Movers and Bluestar Corporate Relocation Service
Fleet Advantage Showcases Proven Unbundling FSL Solution at TMC 2025 Annual Meeting

Fleet Management Weekly Newsletter Archive
Access to back issues of the FMW newsletter.

FMW Mobility
How mobility is rapidly changing the fleet management landscape.

Newsletter

Subscribe

FMW Fleet Videos
Video clips of industry leaders speaking on a variety of engaging hot topics in fleet.

2014-2020 © Fleet Management Weekly