1- "You should be thankful to have a job"
Believe it or not, I had a manager say this to me thinking that it would motivate me to perform. It had exactly the opposite effect on me giving me the feeling of disenchantment and de-motivation to work for this company. The next day I sent out resumes and contacted recruiters. Sorry, but it is not the 50's any longer, and the mentality of using this type of statement to motivate your employees will not work. In fact, if you want your employees to leave, I would suggest using this phrase.
2- Saying "You are incompetent or stupid"
This statement is very derogatory and any company worth their salt would have a harassment and abuse policy in place that would certainly discourage this kind of statement. If you question someone's character in this manner, you better be prepared for a reprimand or even termination.
3- Using profane language
It really has no place at work. If you swear at your employees, they will not only not respect you, but also they will completely fear coming to talk to you about anything thus making you an island unto yourself.
4- Being physically aggressive
Other then a handshake or pat on the back. their should be no physical contact with your employees. If there is, again you run the risk of a reprimand or termination.
5- Betting employees against each other
Being in sales, I can tell you that a corporation cares only about numbers. It is sad, but true unfortunately. One of the worst things you can do is tell an employee that they need to work it out with the employee you are having difficulties with and that it has nothing do to with you or you do not have time to deal with it. This shows a real lack of empathy and understanding on your part towards the problem. In my case, it was a disagreement of sharing commission with another salesperson. I would not have come to them in the first place if we were able to come to some kind of agreement so why pass it off?
I worked at a Toy company once where a manager did this. He would constantly slam doors when he was upset. It was horrible, no one wanted to go near him for fear of what he would do or how he would react. So unprofessional and violent. No one should ever have to work in an environment like that. Oh, and he used to make people cry too.
7- Lying to your employees
Honesty and ethics are key components of building trust and loyalty with your employees. Someone who trusts you will show the utmost loyalty and respect towards you and your management capabilities. If they find that you lie to them, or leave them hanging any chance of loyalty you may have had will be gone. Always tell the truth to your employees and never lie!
8- "I haven't got time to deal with your issues right now"
We all get busy and deadlines are important. So is addressing issues and employee concerns before they fester. This statement sends a message that you do not value your employees. For any future problems that may occur, I can guarantee that your subordinates will never come to you again.
9- Making promises that you cannot keep
This also falls into the trust category. Constantly making statements or promises that never come to fruition will cause you to lose all trust and loyalty of your employees. They will never believe anything that comes out of your mouth.
10- Throwing a temper tantrum or getting very upset
If you are doing this on a regular basis, you need to seek psychiatric care. I used to work for a woman (her father owned the business) that used to do this regularly. She would completely come apart and either throw a fit or she would start to cry at her desk. It was unbelievable. I lasted 5 years working for her amazingly enough. The attrition rate at this company was about 50%. It was insane. I saw some that lasted for a day, others that lasted for hours then walked out. There was one incident whereby a new hire said I am going to the washroom, then they never came back.
11- "You better start looking for another place of employment"
I had a friend who's employer said this to them. Similar to the above statement, but times about 10 when it comes to motivation and loyalty. Why would you want to even continue working for an employer like this. It sends a message that you are going to fire them anyway, so he gave up and started looking for another place to work. The thought here is that if they quit, you don't need to pay them severen's pay. That is fine, but know this, by making this statement you lose their loyalty, devotion and motivation to work for your company on the spot. You can expect little to no efficiency from them until they do leave.
12- Rolling your eyes or laughing at an employee
Sarcasm and condescension are the only two attributes you are contributing here. Both of which will get you nowhere. Very unprofessional behaviour.
13- Not responding to emails or voice mails
Being in the digital age of communication, I find that it has become very easy to ignore and skirt responding to someone who sends you an email of concern. For me, it tells me you either do not want to address the issue or that you do not know how to address the issue. Either way, it is not a good thing. No response is not a response.
If you have a boss that has said or done any of the above things to you, then it is time to start looking for another place of employment. Dust off the resume and start contacting recruiters.
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