Monday, March 15, 2010
The Biggest Team Leader Lie
I enjoyed an article by Steve Tobak, Silicon Valley marketing and strategy consultant, on the top 10 lies managers tell themselves. Many of them involved customers and executives above them in the company, but it was his Lie #5 dealing with employee engagement best practices that caught my attention.
According to Tobak, he says a common misconception is that subordinate employees “love” their managers. In other words, you believe your employees “love” you…and you would be wrong. There is substantial research that employees’ major reason for leaving employment is because of their manager. They quit YOU rather than quit the company.
Managers are overburdened in their role; from below by team members needing attention and resources, and from above with owners relying on you to execute core activities to keep the business in the black.
Ways to Test the Lie
Are you absolutely certain your team “loves” you? Do you have positive proof? If you suspect they may not, ask yourself these questions to get a clearer picture.
1. How often do I check-in with each team member? Am I walking around and observing, having conversations, and understanding their needs?
2. Am I taking criticism too personally? Business is about business. You will have conflict over business, products, and services. Am I hearing negativity directed in these areas or are their comments truly about me?
3. Have I stopped asking questions? Do I think or act like I know it all? Do I speak before thinking? More managers screw up by talking first before finding out all the facts.
4. Do I micromanage the team? Or, am I being too hands off?
5. Do I focus solely on my own little world? This silo mentality is dysfunctional, and you are not dealing with the reality of your team.
You owe it to your sanity to discover the truth. One of the best employee retention tips is for managers to engage employees in discussion to get a better pulse on what they think about them. Create a team that cares for you as the leader as much as they care for each other and the company.
Until next time...Lead Like You Mean It!
Marjorie