Behind every thriving tech company is a rockstar leader. They bring the passion, the vision, and the spark that lights up the whole team’s spirit. But if you end up with a leader who’s not in the loop, watch out – that bright spark can quickly get overshadowed, putting a pause on innovation and development.
Recent research from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 3.9 million Americans quit their jobs in 2023. After the pandemic, many have come to understand they deserve more than just settling for what they have – seeking out employment that offers meaningful rewards while emphasizing wages, work-life balance, recognition, feedback, and a sense of accomplishment. It’s no wonder that a sizable 75% of workers report their managers as the worst part of their job.
So how can you as a tech leader avoid becoming one of these statistics? In this article, we provide seven essential techniques used by top executive leaders to ensure successful outcomes. Learn how to recognize mistakes, adjust your approach when needed, and find the right balance between efficient operations and innovative initiatives. It’s time to become the boss you always knew you could be with these invaluable tips.
- Lack of clarity
A glaring sign of mismanagement? Clarity is the cornerstone of effective leadership. Without it, teams flounder, objectives blur, and progress stagnates. Take cues from the Real Estate Witch Employee Unhappiness Survey, which found that 31% of respondents cited unclear communication from their superiors as a primary source of discontent.
When it comes to the workplace, things can take a quick turn for the worse if one person speaks and the other doesn’t comprehend their message. To put it another way, if the individual on the receiving end fails to grasp what is being expressed, the interaction remains one-sided.
For an organization to be successful, it must have a clearly defined mission, purpose, strategy, and personal management philosophy. Lack of clear direction, random and unwise decision-making, inadequate task definition, and an unwillingness to remain steadfast in instructions are all indicators of a leader that will ultimately bring a company’s downfall.
How to fix:
Working under a boss who can’t make up their mind can be a real challenge. Be sure to clarify your goals before delegating tasks, keeping in mind that your plans may change as you progress. Employees lose motivation when their leader not only changes tactics but also blames the staff for the failure.
Employers who set unreasonably tight deadlines may have the best of intentions, yet they tend to overestimate their employees’ capabilities and set too high expectations. If you find yourself in this bind, it’s time for a reality check: gather evidence, ask smart questions, and prioritize tasks together. Rather than being overwhelmed by external pressures, take control and tackle the most urgent and important tasks head-on. If you want to create an achievable objective, put your minds together and get creative – make sure each step of the way is punchy, intelligent, and powerful.
- Micromanaging instead of trust
Frustration bubbles up in 27% of workers’ hearts due to micromanagement, as the REW survey found out. In this demanding and intrusive atmosphere, employees feel like their dreams for success are permanently stymied. No matter how hard they work, it never seems enough for their boss.
Having a lack of trust in their staff’s abilities, many employers feel the need to incessantly monitor their employees’ actions. This futile pursuit of control results in an inability to delegate, as well as an unhealthy obsession with productivity metrics such as response times and working hours. Ultimately, this reveals an insecurity that disrupts the potential for successful collaboration.
As the leader, it’s your responsibility to ensure the project is completed on time, within budget and passed all necessary quality checks. To control every facet of employee labor would be a waste of company money. The organization doesn’t need two people to do the same job. So either get it done yourself or trust your team – there’s no in-between.
How to fix:
No one’s here to say that setting the bar high is wrong. Still, don’t take it to extremes. It’s pointless to have team members rework a presentation just because of an incorrectly formatted font or omitted comma. Such work makes them feel disappointed not only in the job done but also in their tech organization’s leader.
When the boss proclaims that he trusts the team, but then follows up with daily check-ins. A great leader must foster faith in their subordinates, grant them a chance to showcase their prowess, maintain an open line of communication, and recognize when stress escalates.
- No respect for employee’s time
“The bosses can only be delayed, but they’re never late” that’s the mantra of careless leaders. First, good leaders don’t delay and second, they never offer lame excuses instead of a legitimate reason. If the company has rules, everyone, including the boss, must follow them.
It’s clear that leaders can postpone a meeting or cancel a scheduled conversation if they have something more pressing to focus on. We are talking about the systematic disregard for the rules that the management itself prescribed for all employees of the organization.
When a boss cuts corners, skips out ahead of their team, or fails to show respect for their employees’ time – by calling them in after hours, setting the time for a meeting and making team members wait again and again, pulling subordinates out of a vacation or canceling their well-deserved breaks – they’re not just shirking their responsibilities, they’re demonstrating a complete disregard for the hard work of their staff. Such behavior has no place in the workplace.
How to fix:
The tech leader should embody exemplary time management and keep the interests of their subordinates in mind. When predicting how long a job will take, it’s best to adopt an extra precautionary approach; it’s far better to be ahead of your timeline than left behind. Use reminders for everything – Android and iOS users have access to powerful calendaring and scheduling tools. To make it all easy to remember, just keep this in mind: it pays to be punctual.
- Anger doesn’t demonstrate your authority
When a leader is caustic, abrasive, and tyrannical in their dealings with subordinate staff, they are eroding their own authority. Blowhards don’t inspire respect but, instead, create an inharmonious work environment as people struggle under the high-pressure atmosphere such individuals create.
Unbelievable yet true – a startling 75% of workers are dealing with manager-related frustration, while one in five have faced offensive remarks or personal attacks by their bosses, the REW Employee Unhappiness Study found.
Employees in companies with this standard modus operandi face the danger of stagnating in their career paths: the oppressive leadership eliminates ambition and the longing for advancement, crushing productivity and professional growth along the way.
How to fix:
Respected workers report 63% more job satisfaction due to the TeamStage review. Do you want your employees to be the cream of the crop: highly productive, full of enthusiasm, and loyal to your business? Practice some self-control and treat them with admiration – not as mere minions but rather as partners in a common cause.
- Rules for rules
At every firm, there are established customs and regulations – some are crafted organically over time, while others are imposed. Operating by rules is supposed to keep the working processes organized and make life easier for employees. But what if it’s not?
Eating in the office? Unthinkable! No kitchens available either? What a shame. Is the ban on social media the new norm? You still can log in from your phone, so what’s the point? As an added kick in the teeth, the company’s strict dress code can be an extra headache for many employees.
How to fix:
It’s tempting to focus on what your team shouldn’t be doing, but good tech leaders take the opposite approach: they focus on how to motivate and engage the staff. Don’t think about the duration of the coffee break; rather tell how everyone’s work affects the future of the organization. Try to focus on the big picture, allowing people to feel free and reach their potential.
- Too many sticks, too few carrots
“I don’t keep anyone here” might be the most soul-crushing words a boss can say to an employee. It implies that your input is meaningless, your work isn’t recognized, and ultimately, you can easily be swapped out if the company needs to. What promising professional would willingly accept such an environment?
As the TeamStage research revealed, 34% of a company’s employees may leave within a year if they are not recognized for their hard work. The fact is, underappreciated employees are looking for a way out. And unless the employer is giving them the recognition they deserve, that way is out the door.
How to fix:
Leadership isn’t about cracking the whip, it’s about lifting the team up. A great tech leader is one who motivates their staff to reach far-reaching accomplishments, cultivates a congenial climate with peers, and evaluates the success of their team without resorting to personal attacks or criticism.
When criticism is necessary, make sure it’s detailed, reasoned, and focused on the task at hand, not on personal matters. Correct actions, not individuals – after all, mistakes are how your employees grow. Tell them what they did right and how it bettered the cause. Make “well done” a phrase that gets bandied about more often than “should have been better.” Show gratitude at every turn and watch how morale kicks into high gear.
- Ignoring company culture
The Recruit Loop’s statistics on job satisfaction reveal that over half of US workers are disengaged – a shocking figure that has far-reaching consequences on their jobs, workplaces, and businesses. A disengaged worker is one who shuffles through their day without any genuine or energetic enthusiasm. They’re merely going through the motions, “toiling for toil’s sake” in absence of an ambition of achieving targets and desired outcomes. Not only is this behavior detrimental to the corporate environment but it can cause organizations to become poisonous, ultimately causing them to lose their competitiveness.
With Flexjobs’ recent survey showing that 62% of employees feel a toxic corporate culture is the biggest source of their job hatred, a great boss stands for excellence in both: producing results and getting along with co-workers. If those in power don’t make it a point to address lousy work ethic, negligence towards duties, and hostile behavior, they should expect no seal of approval from the staff.
How to fix:
Organizations can reap the rewards of a more productive and engaged workforce by investing in the right corporate culture. Crafting a unique and well-defined vision for your company can be the first step toward achieving better results. Ask your team to share their ideas on what would be most important for their ideal work environment, and you’ll have the fundamental building blocks needed to create a successful culture that will keep employees motivated and inspired.
Ready to Elevate Your Leadership?
Becoming a better boss is a journey—one that requires self-reflection, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. By implementing these original strategies, you can cultivate a high-performing team, drive innovation, and position your company for sustained success in the ever-evolving tech landscape.