Do Your Employees Like Your Management Style?

“People don’t leave jobs; they leave managers.”

You’ve probably heard this statement multiple times, but it’s true.

Let’s face it: If your employees don’t like working for you, they probably won’t stay. Or even worse, they’ll stick around long enough to grumble and drag their feet — draining team morale and productivity.

It's easy to think people only leave "bad managers," but how much thought have you given to what it's like to work for you? What’s easy about it? What’s challenging? How do you even figure that out?

Be A Multiplier, Not A Diminisher

If you haven’t read Multipliers by Liz Wiseman yet, put it on your to-read list! It could change the way you lead and remove roadblocks in your career.

Common Challenge: Being an Accidental Diminisher

One of the key principles of Multipliers is that businesses are full of “accidental diminishers.” While accidental diminishers are not necessarily “bad” bosses, these well-intentioned managers dampen their people’s potential instead of enabling them to succeed.

All of us have probably exhibited some “accidental diminisher” behaviors at some point while trying to lead others well. Here are some examples:

1. The Optimist

Does your optimism sometimes cause your coworkers to think you don’t see a possibility of failure and won’t know what to do if your team falters?

2. The Rapid Responder

Do you pivot so quickly that you actually slow things down and cause a “traffic jam” for your team?

3. The Pacesetter

Do you set such a high standard that others feel they can’t keep up?

4. The Rescuer

Do you encourage your people to be too dependent on you?

5. The Idea Guy

Do you have so many great ideas that you end up overwhelming people?

6. Always On

Do you consume so much space that others have to tune you out to conserve their own energy?

Maybe you see some of these “diminishing” characteristics in your management style. This is where hiring and management assessments can help you as well as your people.

You can download a poster of “accidental diminisher” behaviors here.

Use Your Own MAP

The Talent Insights MAP helps you better understand yourself and make decisions about your own management style just as much as it helps you make hiring and management decisions for others.

When’s the last time you pulled out your own MAP and studied your challenges? Take time to evaluate which of your weaknesses may create relational tensions that cause you to clash with your colleagues. Then try to turn that hindrance into a pleasing common ground.

When’s the last time you pulled out your own MAP and studied your challenges? Take time to evaluate which of your weaknesses may create relational tensions that cause you to clash with your colleagues. Then try to turn that hindrance into a pleasing common ground.

Common Challenge: Decision-Making Styles

Slow Decision-Making

Do you struggle to make decisions quickly, constantly feeling that you need to gather more information? What impact does that have on your team? Does someone else consider your deliberate decision-making pace an obstacle as they try to meet deadlines?

Quick Decision-Making

Or perhaps you are a no-nonsense leader. It isn’t hard for you to make the decisions. In fact, you quickly make the decisions — all the decisions. Then you bark out the orders and set the team in motion, perhaps without taking enough time to evaluate the consequences of your decision.

Is there anyone you should seek input from before you make the decision? Perhaps one of your team members has great insight in problem solving, but they never have the chance to speak up. Is there anyone on your team who is demotivated by your efficient but non-relational management style?

Differences like these between team members and leaders motivated us to create the interaction guide. If you haven’t tried it yet, this would be a great opportunity to do so!

Take the time to look at your management style through the perspective of your team members and make the necessary adjustments. You’ll model teachability to your team and earn respect in return. It’s well worth the investment of time and effort.

Conclusion

Your management style can determine both the productivity of your team and general morale around the office.

Before you make any changes to your management style, evaluate the current situation and make sure the changes are appropriate. The management style you choose is going to affect your department’s progress, employee well-being and overall business growth.

Have you ever had to make changes to your management style? What caused you to make those changes, and what happened as a result?