Are You A Snow Plow Manager (Or Do You Work For One)?

Imagine your boss is like your mom with a leaf blower — clearing every problem out of your way before you even know it’s there. That’s what’s happening in offices all over America. They're called "snow plow managers," and no, they don’t come with flashing lights or chains on their tires. These managers are trying way too hard to make work easy, but sometimes, they end up turning employees into big, confused snowflakes...and burn themselves out in the process.

Here are Five Fast Facts on snow plow managers:

1. ❄️ Snow Plow, Not Snow Day - These managers try to clear every little obstacle from your path like you're the only sled in town. Lost your stapler? They'll buy you five more. Have a mean email? They'll call your coworker's mom.

2. 🧤 Micromanaging Mayhem - Instead of letting you figure stuff out, they jump in faster than your dad fixing your science fair volcano. Spoiler alert: it usually explodes anyway.

3. 🚁 From Helpful to Helicopter - At first, it’s nice — like free hot cocoa at your desk. But soon they’re hovering like a drone over every task, and suddenly you need approval to breathe near the copier. And it comes at a cost – 36% of managers are burnt out and 24% are considering quitting in the next few months!

4. 🚫 Bye-Bye, Problem Solving - Employees under snow plow managers forget how to solve problems. It's like forgetting how to tie your shoes because someone’s been Velcro-ing your sneakers since day one.

5. 📉 Company Chaos - Too much plowing and not enough trusting leads to low confidence, bad teamwork, and everyone waiting for the boss to do everything. It’s like a football team where the coach plays all the positions. Spoiler: they lose.

🔥Bottom line: While snow plow managers mean well, trying to melt every workplace snowflake can leave everyone soggy and confused. A little help is nice, but people need to shovel their own paths more often than not! After all, how else are we supposed to learn and grow, and build our own skill sets?

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In a future article, we’ll talk about what to do if you work for a snow plow manager...or if you are one!

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Do you know a snow plow manager? Are you a snow plow manager?

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