Author: The Future of Leadership: Rise of Automation,
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence 🔹 Keynote Speaker 🔹
I've worked for many bosses but few leaders. Working
under a bad boss can make a good job even in the best company, unbearable. As
the saying goes, people don't leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.
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 are mere
puppets and exude no loyalty to employees. It's demotivating working for a
manager who does not stand up for their team. If you make a mistake they
quickly turn into judge, jury and executioner. It's hard to feel passion for a
job when you experience this.
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. They treat everyone with
respect.
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." Letting your ego get ahead
of you and thinking you know it all is a sure path to failure. Showing some
humility and vulnerability allows you to strengthen relations with your team.
4) “Taskmaster” - Their sole
focus is on the bottom-line. They use the carrot and stick approach to
motivation which clearly doesn't work. Continuously drilling employees is a
sure way make them unhappy at work. Micromanagement suffocates, demoralizes and
kills creativity. These managers get so caught up in the bottom line 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.
" An
employee's motivation is a direct result of the sum of interactions with his or
her manager." - Bob Nelson
Then there is the LEADER.
A leader coaches, supports and inspires. He/she puts the
interests of their team before their own. Leaders develop safe atmospheres
where risk-taking and feedback is welcomed. They take care of their team. The
focus is to help everyone around them succeed. 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 corporate world is littered with managers but lacks leaders. Employees long
for managers who are leaders.
Lauralee emailed me this:
"I worked for a company in Brussels a few years ago when my brother had
cancer. In that year, I had 10 weeks leave visiting him and then, when he died,
attending his funeral). When I asked my manager, Eric how I could repay the
company for all these extra holidays, he simply replied "they weren't
holidays, don't worry about it". To this day, Eric was the best manager I
ever had... I would walk over hot coals for him!"
Bad bosses cost
the world economy an estimated $360 billion in productivity.
Employee engagement is at an all-time low (32%). Usually
when an employee has an issue with their company, it has to do with something
regarding their manager. Companies need to take a closer look at their managers
and their leadership style. Employee engagement is more of a manager issue.
75% of American workers say their boss is the worst and most stressful part of
their jobs. How bad are they? Bad enough for 65% of respondents to say
they’d rather have a new boss over a pay raise. Can a manager become a leader?
Yes, it's possible. Sometimes it just takes being human and developing your
people skills. Technical skills alone do not keep employees motivated. In this
Artificial Intelligence economy, the new smart is not determined by IQ but by
EQ. It's about listening, relating, collaborating and connecting with your
team. This takes humility, authenticity and empathy.
Studies have shown that leading with vision,
inspiration, and purpose, produces better bottom-line results as well as happier,
more engaged employees. If we want employees to feel commitment to the
organization; we need to show we respect and value them. The "human
touch" makes all the difference. If you want to make a lasting positive
impact - Don't be a boss, be a leader!
