Did you know?: Depending on the source, roughly 60% of employees have quit because of poor leadership.
Consider these other points:
- It costs as much as $25,000 to onboard a new hire.
- It takes as long as 9-12 months for a new hire to be fully productive.
- Lost knowledge, experience, and skills affect opportunity cost for the team / organization.
So it shouldn’t come as a shock that your actions as a leader have a profound impact on the health and success of the team and organization.
Here are problems that you should consider:
😡 Not Leading by Example
A bad manager preaches but doesn’t practice. When leaders fail to embody the values and work ethic they demand from the team, employees lose trust. A management position doesn’t mean the rules suddenly don’t apply. Managers should instead serve as the benchmark to which the team measures itself.
😡 Unseen, Unheard, and Unvalued
Feeling invisible fuels dissatisfaction, and bad leaders often look inwards at their own successes rather than recognizing team wins. But successes result from collaboration, so it’s important to acknowledge the contributions and efforts of each person.
😡 Micromanagement not Trust
Autonomy provides motivation and engagement. However, when a manager hovers and demands their ideas and processes are strictly followed, that autonomy is stolen. There are many paths to reach a goal, and effective managers understand when and how to support rather than suffocate.
😡 Conflict Avoidance or Resolution
A manager who refuses to acknowledge and put a stop to bad behavior inadvertently condones and fosters it. One bad apple spoils the bunch, as they say. Managers need to constructively take action and resolve problems within the team.
😡 Ineffective Communication
The right words provide clarity of purpose and action. Unfortunately, a bad manager is often unresponsive or unreliable, meaning the team doesn’t have the much-needed clarity. What’s more, poor communication also means unexpected and unwelcome surprises because the right information was shared. Effective managers convey information, expectations, feedback, and praise, and they do it often.
So what can be done?
The short answer is: Learn how to be a leader, not just a manager.
Start with these questions to ask yourself:
- How often do I consider my actions as the model for the team?
- When was the last time I provided positive or negative feedback?
- How often do I lay out step-by-step processes or intervene with “suggestions?”
- What do I do when there are uncomfortable comments or behavior?
- What makes me uncomfortable when I communicate with my team?
As a final word, this week’s newsletter has only considered team members who leave the organization. But what about “quit quitters?”
Quit quitting, or doing the absolute minimum required for a role, has become a major issue in recent years. These people are every bit as harmful to the health and success of a team. Consider the possible existence of these individuals within your team when reflecting.
Until next week!