3 Ways Being a Flexible Boss Can Backfire

In today’s finance world, being flexible is supposedly the most valuable workplace asset.

Research proves it: 94% of employees say they would benefit from work flexibility, according to Deloitte research. They say that with more flexibility, they’d be less stressed and healthier.

While those are solid reasons for being flexible, flexibility has its limits. Like most things, when taken to extreme, it can backfire.

Problems of Being Too Flexible

Here’s the problem with being too flexible. In Finance, you often have things running so smoothly that when work hits a snag – say, an emergency or crisis that needs all hands on deck — you can’t rally the team to shift gears.

That’s because they’re so busy doing their own thing, they aren’t equipped to get focused on something pressing and different.

‘Flexible’ Is Good – Isn’t It?

It might seem a compliment when employees tell others that you’re a “flexible boss.” But managers who are too flexible can hurt their credibility, says leadership coach Michael Hyatt.

When given space, some employees can take the easy-going approach too far and manipulate what we thought were understood as hard-and-fast rules.

Of course, there are times when a little fluidity helps people do their jobs. And Employees hate managers who hover, and you know your team well enough that it’s unnecessary.

The key is to spell out which directives are non-negotiable – and make sure your team knows which ones they are.

Here are three signs you might be too flexible as a manager, and what to do about it:

1. Employee Conflicts Fester

Some managers say they’re constantly sidetracked by brokering peace negotiations among staff when that time could be better spent.

“Currently, managers spend over 4 hours a week dealing with conflict on average,” says John Hackston, Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company and who carried out the conflict management study. “This research sheds light on how people in the workplace see conflict and shows how individuals can use knowledge of their own conflict-handling style and personality type to navigate conflict more effectively.”

How to deal: Show empathy, but act decisively. It might seem more “flexible” to let your employees work it out themselves, but that leaves open the possibility that the issue will get worse. And that will end up disrupting everyone else.

Hear both employees out so you can understand the situation from both sides and get to the bottom of the problem quickly. Then, take the reins and handle the disagreement as quickly as possible.

State that you understand where both employees are coming from, but you need an agreement from both that they can resolve the issue and work together productively. This is a situation where strict direction trumps flexibility.

If the employees feel you’re being non-committal about the problem, they’ll be less inclined to remedy it.

2. Employees Work Almost Entirely for Themselves

This is different from letting employees work at their own pace. That’s to be encouraged because people succeed when they’re allowed to progress on their own terms. One employee could work well under pressure while another might move at a slower pace, getting a little bit done at a time until a deadline is met.

It’s when you let employees determine the entire endgame that your flexibility can get out of hand.

When you let the chickens rule the roost, the important work of every day could fall behind. And in the end, the finger will point at you, not your employees.

How to deal: Allow employees to set some of their own priorities, schedules and deadlines, but make sure they’re aware of how getting their work done affects others.

You don’t want to set other employees or even entire departments back because you let your team decide what they’re getting done and when.

Make sure they understand and are ready to comply with some set-in-stone rules and deadlines, and that they understand the ramifications if they don’t.

3. Trouble Keeping Track of Results

Giving your team too little direction in an effort to be flexible can backfire.

For instance, you asked the team a week ago to let you know when Project A was finished – and you hear crickets. Did they forget? Or are they nowhere near done?

Communication and work processes have likely broken down.

How to deal: Make sure your team knows you need periodic updates from them. That’s not helicopter bossing, it’s part of the job.

Show some flexibility in letting employees get their work done, but check in to see they’re still on track. You can either set up status meetings at regular intervals or send them a note for a short report back on how things are going.

This pattern of “checking in” keeps employees accountable and allows you to supervise while staying out of their way.

Leaders who show flexibility are usually liked and respected by employees. But if we let things get too loose, it can affect productivity. Finding the right balance gives employees the freedom to work and succeed.