Ambiguous behaviour
According to INSEAD Knowledge, a manager should be relatively lenient with their subordinates but at the same time not too benevolent. Why? If a manager does not state clearly what is to be done, but instead allows endless debates and democratic votes, the team does not really know what to expect. There are no clear limits and uncertainty hangs in the air. A manager must put forward clear values and consistent, unambiguous rules which subordinates will follow without question. If these rules are set up correctly, this approach brings certainty to the team, who are then capable of working in orderly fashion.
Little authority
If a manager is too friendly with subordinates, it need not necessarily be a problem when everything is working as it should and there are no conflicts that need addressing. But when a critical situation arises, or the manager is required to speak assertively to a subordinate, their lack of authority will pose a problem. In a crisis, the team needs someone to rely on and look up to. Unfortunately, this role cannot be fulfilled by someone who is on the same level as the rest of the team.
The manager does not serve as a company representative
A team manager should act as a middle man between team members and company management. After all, a manager is a representative of the company. But a manager who gets along too well with subordinates, or even criticises management in their presence, cannot adequately fulfil the role of a company representative. This leads to the team being ostracised within the company, to frustration of team members, and subsequently to a series of misunderstandings between company management and team members.
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