Employees might join companies, but they leave managers. A Gallup poll of more 1 million employed US workers concluded that the number one reason people quit their jobs is due to a bad boss or immediate supervisor.
Here are the 4 types of bad bosses that make employees want to quit companies:
1) “Marionette” – In an age of uncertainty, many managers are yielding to this trap of just playing it safe to preserve their position and privileges. They just follow orders. They never stand up for their team or question policies. They are mere puppets and exude no loyalty to employees. A lack of integrity in a manager can make an employee lose passion for the job. In spite of how good a job may be, if you don’t have a manager that has your back, you will be miserable in that job.
I know of some boards who only hire managers that they can control. If your only concern is to impress top management you will be surely losing points with your employees. There must be a balance, yes, you want to impress those at the top, but what about your employees? In the end no one takes you seriously, neither the board you are trying to impress nor the employees you have ignored.
2) “King Kong” – Some bosses when they reach to the top immediately forget where they came from. These type of managers possess a superiority complex and like to draw the distinction between management and staff. It is dreadful to work under a manager who is more worried about pushing their weight around than building relationships. Great leaders don’t talk down to their employees or make them feel inferior. They treat everyone with respect. They make everyone around feel important.
Bill Nuti former CEO at NCR Corp – While the company’s revenues grew to $6.2 billion in 2013 from $6.0 billion in 2012, employees showed a strong dislike of their CEO, Bill Nuti. One employee, while commenting on Glassdoor, wrote to upper management, “We carry your water every day, and you disrespect us every day, we’re just your minions. You put out surveys, obviously you pay no attention to them or things would begin changing.
“Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.” – Richard Branson
3) “Superman” – They think the organization revolves around them. Some start behaving like they are the owners of the company. This trap includes making all of the decisions solo, ignoring feedback you don’t like and taking the credit. “ Try never to be the smartest person in the room. And if you are, I suggest you invite smarter people or find another room” -Michael Dell. Letting your ego get ahead of you and thinking you know it all is a sure path to failure. Admit what you don’t know. Showing some vulnerability allows you to strengthen relations with your team.
” Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” ~Andy Stanley
4) “Taskmaster” – Their sole focus is on the bottomline. Continuously drilling employees is a sure way make them unhappy at work. Micromanagement suffocates, demoralizes and kills creativity. A manager’s job is to motivate and provide guidance and support. It’s not constantly monitoring an employee’s every movement. These managers get so caught up in the bottom line and increasing the revenue stream that they forget to treat people with dignity and respect. Very few bosses show empathy towards their team members and this helps improve overall morale and performance.
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
The there is the leader. A leader coaches, supports and inspires. He/she puts the interests of their team before their own. They take care of their team. They push their team to grow and become their very best. A leader never leaves any of his team members to hang out dry. When a leader is at the helm, employees feel valued and appreciated. The world is littered with managers but there are very few leaders. Employees long for bosses who are leaders.
Written By: Brigette Hyacinth