Seagull management is a management style wherein a manager only interacts with employees when they deem a problem has arisen. The perception is that such a management style involves hasty decisions about things of which they have little understanding, resulting in a messy situation with which others must deal.[1][2][3] The term became popular through a joke in Ken Blanchard's 1985 book Leadership and the One Minute Manager: "Seagull managers fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on everyone, then fly out."[4]
As seagull managers only interact with employees when there is a problem, they rarely offer praise or encouragement when things are going well. When problems arise, they often seek to place the blame on other people,[5] and to draw attention to themselves in order to appear important. They criticize others, but make little contribution to the solution of a problem.[6]
The seagull style of management may be indicative of a manager who is untrained, inexperienced or newly-appointed.[5]
See also
- Mushroom management – Company with dysfunctional communication between managers and employees
- Dunning–Kruger effect – Cognitive bias where people with low ability overestimate their skill
- Competence (human resources) – Ability of a person to do a job properly
- Micromanagement
- Carrot and stick
- Kiss up kick down – Form of social malfunction
- Fit in or fuck off – Controversial expression of an organisational philosophy
References
- ^ Andreou, Alex (July 25, 2012). "Why David Cameron is the ultimate "seagull" manager". New Statesman. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
Back when I worked for a large organisation, we had a term: "seagull manager". It described someone, usually a consultant, who flew in, made a lot of noise, dumped on everyone from a great height, then flew out again, leaving others to deal with the consequences.
- ^ Bradberry, Travis (2009). "The cost of seagull management". Industrial and Commercial Training. 41 (3): 139–141. doi:10.1108/00197850910950925.
- ^ Witt, David (August 15, 2011). "Don't become a "seagull" manager". leaderchat.org. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
It's harder than ever to avoid becoming a "seagull manager" these days. That's when you fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on everyone, and then fly away again.
- ^ Blanchard, Ken (1985). Leadership and the One Minute Manager. p. 38.
Seagull managers fly in, make a lot of noise, dump on everyone, then fly out.
- ^ a b "Seagull Management". Types of Management. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
- ^ "Do You Have a "Seagull Manager"?". Modern Servant Leader. 30 July 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.