10. Ever have those Managers who consistently give the “corporate line” instead of the truth? Employees see right through the facade.

9. Over promise and under-deliver. With any sales job, customer service and customer relationships are solidified through under promising and over delivering.

8. Brag about others on the team (implying that they are better and we should follow their lead)! Everyone is unique and their strengths should be capitalized by leadership (not minimized).

7. Say “It’s not in the budget” when an Employee asks about professional development and/or team building. There are also plenty of free/cost-effective seminars out there which could be recommended.

6. Leading by Fear does not work! Think back to your favorite/most effective boss. Weren’t they emotionally intelligent? Most likely they did not use fear as their #1 priority.

5. MICRO Manage- There is no need to continuously follow up if Employees give their word. Trust Employees until they’ve broken that trust. The more you follow up, the more the trust factor is slipping away.

4. Expect a lot from New Hires and give them little direction- Chances are, they need lots of support. Whether it’s you or a Mentor, New Hire habits need to be set early.

3. Treat New Hires the same as Tenured folks-This one’s common sense, but you’d be amazed how many Managers favor one or the other. Don’t communicate to the “Lowest Common Denominator” on the team.

2. Repeat yourself on voice mail-Some Managers think the team will not understand unless it’s repeated 3x on voice mail. The shorter the voice mail, the more impactful and the more Employees will respect you.

1. Start coaching with a negative comment. Employees will tune out unless Managers start the conversation with something positive to say. ALL Employees want to feel more appreciated for all they do!