Many people in the working world will run across someone in a managerial or supervisory position who may seem to never be happy with anyone’s job performance. They may even be constant complainers in some cases. Sometimes, though, they’re managers who may just come to the realization that many of their subordinates are not able to meet certain expectations. That would more likely occur when expectations are unrealistic. In many scenarios, if it’s never good enough now, it will never be good enough.
Some managers will try to push their subordinates in order to maximize productivity. Some feel that the maximization of productivity is highly dependent upon a constant push from them. Some even believe that the moment they let off, their subordinates will slack off. However, sometimes a constant push or constant complaining will have the opposite of the desired effect. In fact, sometimes it will reduce productivity.
One skill a manager needs to have is the ability to read people. That is just one skill among the many of which may be regarded as people skills. A manager should be able to take a course of action when dealing with each individual, based upon their reading of each person. If the manager is accurate in their assessment, determining the course of action in dealing with each employee will be easier. They should then be more likely to resolve whatever problem they may be facing, regarding that employee. Some employees may need an occasional push but others may not need one at all. A constant push usually works for no one.
There are also some approaches that have a universal effect. Some approaches are more likely to fail with anyone to whom it may be applied. Constantly complaining about job performance is one. If you, as a manager, are constantly complaining about one job being done poorly after another, without ever complimenting your subordinates when they are doing something right, you may create the impression that nothing they will do will ever be good enough. This may lead to a feeling of futility on the part of your subordinates. They may eventually come to feel that no matter how hard they try, you will still not be pleased with their job performance. So they end up feeling that it’s not worth the effort to go out of their way to please you.
Now, granted, it is not part of your job description as a manager to be solely responsible for everyone’s self esteem. But most reasonable people would recognize that constantly belittling someone would certainly not positively affect their sense of self worth, and certainly not as it would pertain to their sense of self worth to the organization for which they work.
That’s why if you take the attitude that it’s never good enough now, it most likely never will be.
