When you get promoted to a managerial position, you don’t automatically gain managerial skills that allow you to easily treat people fairly. You’re still the same person you were the day before, and let’s face that—that probably means you don’t like everyone equally.
In fact, you may have direct reports that you really can’t stand. How are you supposed to treat those people fairly when everything they do makes you cringe? How can you ensure you aren’t playing favorites because you really do like other people better? It’s not easy, but there is one key thing to do: Take a step back.
Personalities can often get in the way of evaluating someone purely based on talent. It’s in our nature to think someone with whom you have a great rapport is doing a better job than someone who grates on you. But stepping back will help you to avoid this problem.
To keep reading, click here: The Key to Managing People You Don’t Like
One thing you missed – Make sure you are not judging with a double standard.
I had a co-worker who frequently talked about how “respectful” people. It made me raise my eyebrows. She got away with it because she talked that way about EVERYONE, and she judged it pretty much the same across the board. But, It’s a term that should raise a yellow flag, because it is so often measured differently for different groups. It’s rarely blatant, but keep an eye out for that.
Or, take the issue of “bossy”. It’s a very gendered term – almost exclusively used for women. So, that’s another yellow flag. Think very carefully if you are labeling behaviors “bossy” when Sally does them, but assertive when Sol does them.
I liked forget talent, get to work, because in actuality a lot of people think that away. They have to realize talent is good in it’s place but hard work and studying pays off.