Bad Manager – The One Question You Can Count On To Tell You That You Have a Serious Management Problem

Apr 15

The top reason people leave their company when they are temporarily dissatisfied is because of their direct supervisor.  If we think about it, it probably isn’t news.  Most of us probably quit a job or two or three because the “The Boss is stupid.”

The direct supervisor is the day-to-day representation of the organization.  This also means that person is the most influential when it comes to employee engagement.

And now we get to Carolann’s Employee Engagement Soapbox.  Why is engagement important?

• Engaged employees are less likely to to want to fire their boss – 6% as opposed to 51% according to Gallup
• “Engaged employees are more productive, profitable, safer, create stronger customer relationships, and stay longer with their company than less engaged employees.”
• Engaged employees are likely to be the best source of new ideas (and who couldn’t use a new idea in this market climate?)
• Engaged employees are also more likely to accept new ideas
• They share more at work, which makes them more collaborative.
• Engagement translates to the bottom line

Gallup has published the 12 Elements of Great Managing which came out of their research of what best predicts individual and work group performance.  I love this survey and use it in my engagements where it’s called for.

However, I have one simple question that let’s me know how a manager is doing.  Are you ready?  (No, that’s not it.)

Do you think you’re fairly compensated for your work?  Or, some derivation of this question.

Yep – it’s a money question, not a satisfaction question.  You’d think that the answer to this would always be no, because who wouldn’t want to make more money?  But, when people are genuinely happy with what they’re doing, they feel that they are contributing, and they feel valued, money is much lower on the list of satisfiers (assuming, of course, that they are in the range of fair compensation).

When money rises to the top of the list for the majority of a team, that’s when you know you have an issue.  Frankly, they don’t feel like they’re being paid to put up with the B.S., whatever that might be in this group.

Remote managers and managers with too many direct reports, this is a great tip, because many of you don’t have the opportunity to observe first-hand what’s going on.  This gives you the clue that you need to do more digging.

Be Your Best You Today,

Carolann

Tags: Action Coach, Brain-based Coaching, business coach, Carolann Jacobs, coaching, Executive Coaching, Inimitable Leadership, Inspired Workplace, Leadership, Life Coach