It's not just what bosses do that makes people leave, it's what they don't do...
Managers get all blame, particularly when people leave. It’s often justified, but it’s also human nature to see blame as a particular person rather than a result of circumstances. Being a good manager and leader is not easy.
Today’s world is often so frantic that it’s not easy to step back and think.
The forces at work which may cause us to disengage can come from managers, but also the wider company culture, the team around you and how well you fit your role. These forces are dynamic, they change. Change sounds great until it impacts you.
For instance, if the company is going through a tough time, which may mean it’s growing so fast that it’s chaos, or it’s under-performing, (either can mean a tough time), it may be a challenging experience for people to live through.
Core competences, skills and culture that brought a company early success may not be as important or even relevant a few years later.
Although conventional wisdom appears to focus squarely on managers, there are some simple questions which leaders can ask themselves:
Is the company culture appropriate to the strategy? Leadership behaviors are the exhibition of culture. Does what people see match what I’m saying? (Does what I say match what I do?).
Is the team I’m leading working? The world is full of teams which don’t understand each other. If you don’t feel part of the team, you’re not.
Do I fit the role I’m being asked to perform? Doing things you are not naturally good at takes more energy. If other factors like culture and team become negative, this can be the deal breaker.
Your boss. Are they helping you? Simple as that.
Actions you take can be overwhelmingly influenced by one, but the others are in play. All the time. Their comparative influence reduces or amplifies with change.