Anti-patterns around prioritization and team culture.
Culture & Environment Issues
Fear-Based Leadership
❌ DON'T: Create culture of fear
❌ DON'T: Use power and control to get compliance
❌ DON'T: Make consequences unpredictable
❌ DON'T: Leverage team only for your ideas
WHY IT'S HARMFUL:
├── Kills innovation
├── Hides problems until too late
├── Creates yes-people, not partners
└── Breeds resentment and turnover
✓ INSTEAD:
├── Create psychological safety
├── Encourage dissent and debate
├── Be consistent and fair
└── Partner with team on solutions
Toxic Behavior Tolerance
❌ DON'T: Ignore toxic behavior
❌ DON'T: Support people with big egos at expense of team
❌ DON'T: Fail to address clear consequences
WHY IT'S HARMFUL:
├── Good people leave
├── Bad behavior spreads
├── Team effectiveness suffers
└── Culture degrades
✓ INSTEAD:
├── Address issues promptly
├── Set clear behavioral expectations
├── Apply standards consistently
└── Protect team from toxic individuals
Self-Assessment Checklist
## PM Behavior Self-Audit
**Date:** [Date]
### Trust Building
- [ ] I delegate meaningful decisions
- [ ] I focus on outcomes, not methods
- [ ] I share context and information openly
- [ ] I give constructive, private feedback
### Team Empowerment
- [ ] Team has tools and processes needed
- [ ] Team can work without my constant input
- [ ] I remove blockers, not create them
- [ ] I invest in team's growth
### Recognition
- [ ] I celebrate wins (big and small)
- [ ] I acknowledge individual contributions
- [ ] I differentiate high performers
- [ ] I give credit where due
### Communication
- [ ] I respect work-life boundaries
- [ ] I minimize unnecessary meetings
- [ ] I create space for all voices
- [ ] I am explicit about expectations
### Culture
- [ ] I address toxic behavior promptly
- [ ] I create psychological safety
- [ ] I protect focus and prioritize clearly
- [ ] I welcome feedback and dissent
### Self-Improvement
- [ ] I ask for feedback regularly
- [ ] I acknowledge my own mistakes
- [ ] I continuously work on being better
- [ ] I reflect on my leadership impact
Warning Signs You're Doing It Wrong
TEAM SIGNALS TO WATCH FOR:
High Turnover:
├── People leaving team/company
├── Especially high performers
└── Pattern, not one-offs
Silence in Meetings:
├── No one speaks up
├── No pushback on ideas
└── Only you talking
Hidden Problems:
├── Issues surface late
├── Surprises at deadlines
└── Bad news is avoided
Disengagement:
├── Minimal effort
├── No discretionary work
└── Clock-watching behavior
Gossip/Complaints:
├── Hearing concerns secondhand
├── Team venting to others
└── Skip-level complaints
Reflection Framework
PERIODIC SELF-REFLECTION
Monthly:
├── "Have I recognized wins this month?"
├── "Have I micromanaged any team member?"
├── "Is my team comfortable bringing bad news?"
└── "Did I remove or create blockers?"
Quarterly:
├── "Have any toxic behaviors gone unaddressed?"
├── "Do I know how each team member is feeling?"
├── "Have I asked for feedback on my leadership?"
└── "Am I developing my team's autonomy?"
Annually:
├── "Would I want to work for myself?"
├── "Have my high performers grown?"
├── "Is the team healthier than a year ago?"
└── "What leadership mistake did I learn from?"
Integration with Other Methods
| Method | Combined Use |
|---|---|
| One-on-Ones | Regular check-ins to avoid many anti-patterns |
| Retrospectives | Team feedback on PM behaviors |
| 360 Reviews | Formal feedback on leadership |
| Skip-levels | Direct feedback from team members |
Quick Reference
PM ANTI-PATTERN QUICK CHECK
Stop if you're:
□ Checking in multiple times per week "just to see"
□ Hunting for mistakes instead of learning
□ Expecting mind-reading
□ Taking credit, deflecting blame
□ Making everything urgent
□ Ignoring wins, focusing on gaps
□ Messaging after hours to check presence
□ Running meetings only you talk in
□ Supporting toxic high performers
□ Making people feel small
Start if you're not:
□ Celebrating wins publicly
□ Giving private constructive feedback
□ Asking for feedback on yourself
□ Creating psychological safety
□ Providing tools and processes
□ Protecting team's focus
□ Developing team autonomy
□ Addressing toxic behaviors
□ Respecting work boundaries
□ Listening genuinely