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A manager does not have to be liked by his employees. The role of the manager is to achieve results through other people. Whether or not the employees like the manager has no bearing on the manager's ability to achieve these results.

Respect is a quality that a manager must be able to command. It is important that employees respect the manager. Where there is a lack of respect the employees are unlikely to perform to the required standard and the manager is at risk of failing in his task.

Management is more of an art than a science. Each manager must work in a way that works for him or her. The style of management may also be set by the approach of the organisation that the manager is a pert of. Organisations vary from those that run a very traditional hierarchical structure to those that favour empowerment and a participative management style.

Traditional management in a hierarchical organisation means that the manager tells the employees what to do. The manager gives orders to which the employees must comply. Failure to comply with instructions may result in sanctions, disciplinary action, the failure to gain promotions or even the loss of the job. Organisations that employ a strict hierarchical framework include the military, emergency service organisations and commercial enterprises. In this type of environment friendship between a manager and employees can pose a number of problems. While employees may like or dislike the manager, this has little bearing on the ability of the manager to do the job.

At the other end of the spectrum are organisations that use a participative management style. Empowerment may play a key part in the way tasks are managed. In these organisations the manager's role is closer to the role of a coach. The manager must have leadership and delegation skills, but uses a high level of consultation in achieving company goals. In an empowered organisation major decisions often lie within the scope of the workers on the shop floor.

Managers usually have to ensure that their employees are kept motivated. Sometimes manages mistake this requirement with the need to befriend their employees. Likes or dislikes have little to do with the ability to motivate employees. Motivation is more closely tied to the ability of the manager to provide genuine feedback to employees and to give recognition when it is due. Not only must a manager be able to recognise achievements, he or she must be able to take corrective action when an employee is performing under par.

Some managers do believe that it is important for their employees to like them. Their efforts to achieve the desired level of liking may actually hinder their performance. The manager becomes fearful of taking corrective actions, and is afraid of upsetting employees. The manager has to deny some of his or her authority in an effort to placate the staff.

As a manager, it is not important that your employees like you. While it may do no harm when employees like their manager, a manager that actively seeks to be liked can sabotage his or her own status and performance of the managerial role.

Learn more about this author, Barry Marcus.
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