Some Advice for New (and Old) Managers
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I am convinced that people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. Whether it is a team manager to which you directly report or a senior level manager that casts the vision of your department, it is evident that leadership at all levels matters! While some individuals are natural-born leaders, it remains a mystery how others have obtained their management roles (case in point). While this example may be a bit extreme, the number of managers that are negatively impacting their companies would probably not surprise us.



In today’s marketplace, employers are focusing on ways to keep their staff engaged and happy. Thus, employee retention has become a focus in many small and large organizations. It is interesting to read author Josh Spiro’s, in his article titled “How to Improve Employee Retention,” take on “tugs,” the things that motivate people to remain with organizations, and “shoves,” the things that demotivate employees. He highlights a common mistake that companies make: focusing on what motivates their employees without giving proper attention to those issues that cause employees to leave.



As leaders, it is essential to create a safe environment where employees are comfortable sharing their experiences without the fear of losing their jobs. Leaders must also be willing to self-reflect to identify personal improvement areas. Thus, managers need to be open to receiving constructive criticism in order to effectively evaluate their leadership approach, ensuring they are not the cause of their company’s poor retention rate.



I liked journalist Shane Snow’s approach to leadership in “What Amazing Leaders Do Differently.” For you future or current leaders out there, here are a few tips she shares to help you to stand out from the rest of the pack.



1. Admit fault. Most importantly, you must be willing to admit when you’ve made the wrong decision and that you’ve changed your mind about a particular course of action.



2. Over-communicate. I would venture to guess that a majority of employees frustrated with management stems from a lack of communication. Thus, Snow suggests confiding in your employees to demonstrate your vulnerable side.



3. Think before answering. I am certain everyone has been guilty of this at some point in their lifetime. However, when you are a leader, you must avoid the pressure to provide instant answers to questions.



While we all can certainly make a list of qualities that we disliked about our past supervisors, it is important to not neglect the ones that have truly inspired us and made a difference in our lives! So, take both those positive and negative experiences and learn from them. Simply strive to be the type of leader you would be willing to follow, not the leader that drives employees to quit!