The Psychology Of Managers: 6 Myths Every Manager Should stay away from

To be an effective manager, it is important to understand the psychology behind how people work. However, there are a lot of myths out there about what it takes to be a successful manager. Unfortunately, believing in these myths can do more harm than good. So, if you’re a manager, it’s important to stay away from them. We spoke to 100s of managers to understand what they believe in while managing teams and wrote this blog post to list the 6 most common psychological myths about the role of managers which every manager should stay away from. But before that, it is important to understand the psychology of managers.

The psychology of managers

The psychology of managers is a complex and often misunderstood topic that has been extensively studied for years. Many people think that managers are simply people who have been put in charge of a team or department. While it is true that some managers may have little experience in management, the truth is “good managers are made, not born”.

There are a lot of different theories out there about what makes a good manager. But what matters is how well those theories fit with the individual manager’s psychology. Every manager has a unique set of personality traits and tendencies and these individual differences affect the way they lead and interact with their team. The sole psychology behind a manager’s role is that they do not need to be popular or highly respected but they do need to be effective in their role

To be effective, they need to understand the psychology of their employees and coworkers and how to motivate them. Managers need to be able to read people to understand what makes them tick. They also need to be able to give clear instructions, set expectations, and provide feedback. It’s also important for managers to be able to deal with difficult situations and handle conflict while having complete self-control.

Psychological Myths

All that managers need to keep in their minds is that no matter how different their psychology is, they should get the work done. But that doesn’t come that simple for managers. There are several psychological myths common for managers to believe in that severely affect their performance. These myths do create so many hindrances in achieving effectiveness that managers even end up in burnout. The myths can even have a severe impact on the mental health of managers. These myths can also cause hindrance to their personal growth and job satisfaction. Therefore staying away from these myths comes out as the very logical approach here. Those myths and their descriptions are covered further.

The 6 psychological myths for managers to stay away from

1. The Myth of Rationality

There is a pervasive myth that if managers just act rationally and use data to make decisions, they will be successful. This view is not only flawed but can also be dangerous. In reality, decision-making is often a combination of data and intuition.

While data and analytics are important, they should not be the only factors that influence decisions. When managers take data as the only factor to make decisions, they leave out the emotions of the individuals involved. Moreover, being only data-driven brings a very myopic view while making decisions. Not every time will the managers get hold of data that is totally accurate and gives a full picture. This is where intuition comes into the picture. Managers need to pay attention to their intuition and gut feelings, which in most cases will be the right complement to the rational analysis.

2. The Myth of Control

Managers often believe that they are in control and can always get their employees to do what they want. A manager’s control is an illusion. The only thing a manager can control is their behavior. The rest is up to the team. To be an effective leader, managers need to let go of the illusion of control and start trusting their team.

This means giving team members the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work. It also means being transparent with them and establishing trust. When managers give up control and start trusting their team, they will see a dramatic improvement in productivity and creativity. Employees will feel more engaged and invested

3. The Myth of Perfectionism

Perfectionism is a trait that is often admired and strived for in managers. It can be seen as a sign of dedication and commitment to one’s work. However, perfectionism can also be detrimental to productivity and creativity. Managers who are perfectionists often spend more time on tasks than necessary, trying to make sure that everything is perfect. This can lead to procrastination and a lack of productivity.

In addition, perfectionism can also lead to creative blocks. When managers feel the need to make everything perfect, they may be less likely to come up with new ideas or innovative solutions. This can prevent them from reaching their potential. As managers, it’s important to recognize when they are unnecessarily being perfectionists and stop this behavior immediately to be more creative.

4. The Myth of Immediacy

The pressure to make decisions quickly is a common problem for managers, and it’s only compounded by the instant gratification culture we live in. However, making decisions hastily can often lead to disastrous consequences.

The myth of immediacy suggests that decisions made quickly are always the best decisions. However, this isn’t always the case. Many times, taking the time to gather all the relevant information and considering all the possible options can lead to better outcomes. Managers who fall victim to the myth of immediacy often make bad decisions that can hurt their team or organization.

5. The Myth of Extrinsic Motivation

One of the most pervasive myths in management is that people are motivated primarily by external factors such as money, titles, and recognition. This view is based on the assumption that people are selfish and driven primarily by their self-interest. However, decades of research have shown that this view is inaccurate.

People are motivated by a combination of external and internal factors. External factors, such as money and titles, can be effective motivators in certain situations. However, they are not as effective as internal factors, such as the desire to learn and grow and the need to feel appreciated. Managers who understand this and consciously use this motivation strategy in their teams will be a step ahead of other managers.

6. The Myth of Expertise

There’s a very common myth that to be a good manager, you need to be an expert in the field you’re managing. However, this isn’t always the case. A study by Google showed that the number one quality of great managers is their ability to coach and develop their team members. Managers do not need to be experts, but they do need to be able to understand their employees’ work and be able to communicate effectively with them.

This means that as a manager, it’s more important to be able to actively listen and give feedback than it is to have all the answers. Managers who can help their team members grow and develop are more likely to be successful. Managers should also be able to develop a trusting relationship with their employees. This trust allows for transparency and two-way communication, which are both essential for a healthy work environment. Managers do not need to be experts to be successful, but they do need to be able to learn new things and become better at their jobs.

Conclusion

The psychology of managers is a topic that is often overlooked. Many myths exist about what managers should and shouldn’t do to be successful. In this blog post, we debunked six of the most common myths about the psychology of managers. We believe that if managers are effectively able to stay away from these myths and if they do not let these myths decide the way they’ll manage their work and their teams, being successful in their job role and achieving effective management will be much easier.