Seven Leadership Mistakes Casino Slot Managers Warn Against

Original Article by David G. Schwartz What managers had to say about the mistakes they've seen others make once they were elevated to a leadership position.

Having a big ego

According to Steve Keener, the bad manager thinks that they know everything, and don't want to hear any other points of view. Having become a manager might tempt you into thinking that you already know everything you need, but in an environment that changes as rapidly as a casino slot floor, that's never the case. Or, as Kevin Sweet put it: "You're not bigger than the job, you're not bigger than the property." Managers have to be self-aware, understanding their role in the larger organization.

Not asking questions

This can be an off-shoot of mistake #1, or because managers don't want others to think they don't have all the answers. Most critically, as Saul Wesley said, "they don't ask the right questions from the right people." Those people are the guests and the employees who serve them. Not asking them question shuts you off from some very important information. "I'm in the guest service industry," concludes Wesley. "My way is only one way of thinking, and if I never seek out others' input, I'm only going to get what I already know." A one-track mind not only won't be up on the latest trends; it will be blind to many possibilities that more agile thinkers will exploit.

Not listening

When describing what bad managers miss, David Rohn said, "listening is probably the biggest one. It's important not just to hear what is said, but what is meant." Failure to take the time and effort to understand everyone the manager comes in contact with leads to misunderstandings, which in turn can lead to a total breakdown of communication. Avoiding this trap can mean having to adjust your own communication style so that others listen to you: some people refuse to consider constructive feedback given without a compliment as an appetizer, while others tune out social niceties. Knowing your listener's style can help you be heard—and hear what's really important. And, as Jay Duarte said, listening is crucial to customer relations: "It's not necessarily the customer's always right; it's just a matter of having to hear what the customer is saying."

Being "missing in action"

Robert Ambrose described this as, "someone who loves to go to meetings and never goes on the floor." While the managers acknowledged the importance of getting work done at their desk, they realized that it was just as, if not more, important to be present on the floor, getting feedback from guests and employees. Even though the manager may be doing fantastic things that benefit everyone in their office, they need to be seen on the floor for two reasons: first, to get the kind of feedback mentioned above; second, to show everyone that you are accessible. Even if someone never asks a question or shares an insight, they know that they can, which sometimes is just as important.