Bad Manager Traits: The Top 5 Employees Hate Most

How We Find The Bad Manager Traits Employees Hate Most
For years, we’ve used organizational culture assessments to ask employees across industries to name the leadership behaviors that frustrate them most, and the answers rarely change. After more than two decades spent coaching new managers, analyzing people manager assessment center data, and observing how culture plays out in real time, a clear picture has emerged.

The Five Bad Manager Traits Employees Hate Most
The bad manager traits employees dislike listed below aren’t complicated or mysterious — they’re everyday behaviors that slowly corrode trust, clarity, and performance. And because they often show up in subtle ways, many managers don’t recognize the damage until it’s already baked into the culture.

1. Holding On To Workers Who Don’t Support The Team
   Many new managers struggle with letting team members go, often fearing conflict or believing they can “fix” performance problems. While termination should never be rushed, keeping underperforming or misaligned employees can quietly erode morale and productivity. Teams notice when effort and accountability are uneven, and high performers often disengage when poor behavior goes unchecked.

   Start by diagnosing performance issues carefully. Is the employee underperforming because they lack the right skills, guidance, or role alignment? Could additional training, mentorship, or a better-suited assignment help them thrive? If thoughtful support and coaching fail to produce improvement, it’s time to take decisive action — ideally in a way that preserves the individual’s dignity while protecting the team.

   Equally important is addressing toxic behaviors. Employees who disrespect colleagues, resist collaboration, or undermine the culture create ripple effects that slow progress and damage engagement. Retaining them signals tolerance for disruption and sends the wrong message to the rest of the team. Compassionate but firm action demonstrates that you prioritize a positive, aligned, and high performing team environment over convenience or discomfort.

   In short, protecting your team’s performance means making tough decisions when someone consistently detracts from results or culture — and doing so with clarity, fairness, and respect.

2. Emphasizing Strategy Over Mission
   A solid strategy is essential — it provides clarity, guides decision-making, and lays out the steps needed to achieve objectives. But strategy alone rarely inspires people. Employees don’t rally behind spreadsheets, plans, or KPIs; they respond to purpose.

   When team members understand how their work contributes to a larger mission, they engage more deeply and commit more fully to executing the strategy. Purpose gives context to the tasks at hand, transforming routine work into meaningful contribution. In contrast, a team focused solely on strategy without connection to mission risks compliance without passion — executing plans but lacking energy, creativity, and discretionary effort.

   The lesson is clear: strategy tells people what to do; mission tells them why it matters. Leaders who weave both together create environments where employees aren’t just following a plan — they are driving toward something they genuinely believe in, boosting both performance and engagement.

3. Relying on Money As the Only Motivator
   Using money as the sole motivator may work for simple, transactional tasks, but it falls short for work that demands creativity, innovation, and discretionary effort. Employees thrive when they are challenged, given opportunities to grow, and trusted with autonomy over their work.

   Recognition and rewards should be multifaceted. While compensation matters, it’s the non-monetary motivators — meaningful feedback, public acknowledgment, professional development, stretch assignments, and opportunities to influence outcomes — that drive sustained engagement and high performance. Exceptional contributions should be celebrated in ways that reinforce purpose, mastery, and impact, not just dollars.

   Leaders who expand their toolkit beyond financial incentives create a culture where employees are motivated by growth, recognition, and the sense that their work truly matters — and the results are far more enduring than any bonus check.

4. Avoiding Difficult Decisions
   As a new manager, decision making is constant — some choices are straightforward, but most are challenging and high-stakes. Waiting for perfect information or delaying action to eliminate uncertainty only slows progress and erodes team confidence.

   Effective leaders act decisively, even under imperfect conditions. They gather the essential information, weigh risks, consult where necessary, and then commit to a course of action. Avoiding tough decisions signals indecision and can stall momentum, create confusion, and undermine credibility. Embracing the discomfort of difficult choices demonstrates confidence, builds trust, and keeps the team moving forward.

5. Triangulating
   Triangulating occurs when a manager discusses someone’s challenges, mistakes, or personal issues with others instead of addressing them directly. This behavior erodes trust, fuels gossip, and distracts from meaningful problem-solving.

   The most effective leaders are loyal to those who aren’t in the room. When issues arise, they address them head-on with the individual involved, engaging in honest, transparent conversations. This approach builds respect, focuses energy on solutions rather than drama, reduces conflict, and clarifies accountability. Direct communication isn’t just professional — it sets the standard for a culture of integrity and mutual trust.

What If Your Managers Behave this Way?
Start by clarifying expectations: define manager goals, accountabilities, roles, responsibilities, and success metrics in precise, measurable terms. Ambiguity breeds inconsistency, so make sure managers know exactly what success looks like.

Next, invest in highly targeted, customized new manager training that develops both the skills and the mindset required for effective people leadership. Technical expertise alone won’t make a great manager; they must also master communication, accountability, and the ability to inspire and engage their teams.

Finally, hold managers accountable not just for business outcomes but also for the engagement and development of their people. Leadership is measured by both results and the health of the team, and organizations that enforce this dual accountability consistently see higher performance, stronger retention, and a more positive culture.

The Bottom Line
As a new manager, it’s critical to recognize the behaviors you must stop — the traits that frustrate and demotivate employees. Equally important, however, is what you continue to do: learning, adapting, and intentionally creating an environment where your team can thrive. Your ability to develop people, foster trust, and build a culture of accountability and purpose is the single most impactful thing you do as a manager — far more than any task or process you oversee.

To be set up to succeed as a new manager, Download This Research-Backed New Manager Toolkit Now