"But under-management can often fly under the radar because the managers who have these tendencies aren't necessarily incompetent; on the contrary, they often know their business well, are good collaborators, and are well-liked," Victor Lipman, a management trainer, writes for HBR.
Supervisors who under-manage are often reluctant to call out weak team members and overall want to avoid conflict.
"True, pushing your people and holding them accountable for strong performance won't win you any popularity contests, and it requires some level of comfort with conflict," Lipman says. "But while maintaining positive relationships with your own employees is a good thing, over the long run your priority is to deliver results."
Supervisors who under manage should learn to not avoid conflict and to make goals clear with staff so they have a complete understanding of what is expected and what will happen when they fail to meet those expectations.