Why Managers Suck

Admit it…we all had/have one.

Did you know 70% of people leave their job because of a poor manager?

That’s not my opinion.

It’s a fact.

For today, let’s call him Manager Mike.

To be fair Manager Mike is undertrained and lacks the skills needed to lead others.

But that’s not a reason to let him off the hook.

• Part of the responsibility is on the company for hiring/promoting him for do a job he’s not equipped for.

• Part of the responsibility is on Manager Mike for accepting a job he’s not prepared for.

Companies don’t prioritize management training.

And we all suffer because of it.

(Is Manager Mike sounding too familiar now?)

It falls under HR, but it’s not high on their priority list.

Now you can bring in a speaker, like myself, to teach the following topics.

But the retention rate is low because you can’t teach how to manage people in a day.

An annual company motivational talk can get you inspired, but it doesn’t change much.

Using the L&D budget just to make your employees feel good (and pat yourself on the back while you’re at it) isn’t it.

If you really value ROI, you have to invest in monthly manager workshops or hire a coach.

That is what will really move the needle (aka transform Manager Mike).

Don’t copy what everyone else is doing.

It doesn’t work.

Your managers (like Mike) need training, feedback and accountability to perform better.

And you know who is the best judge of improvement is?

The people on his team.

Imagine if Manager Mike was truly evaluated on his performance by the people he leads (would he make it?)

No hiding behind executives. No office politics. No excuses.

Ultimately it’s not about Manager Mike feeling judged, it’s about knowing who he serves.

I believe most managers go into their role with good intentions.

But lacking a new skill set, higher expectations and withholding ongoing training will sink even the best.

That’s why as a speaker I’m telling you workshops and coaching is THE way to go.

Hire that speaker to hype up your leaders.

But don’t stop there. It’s about the follow up.

Who is meeting with Manager Mike monthly?

• Listening to him.

• Role playing scenarios with him

• Showing him blind spots and working on a plan to get better together.

If your company is not doing that, your people will eventually leave Manager Mike.

Why?

“Because people don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care.”

People leave managers, not jobs.

That’s why I’m so passionate about soft skills in management.

In the days of automation, Ai & robots, differentiating yourself from the crowd is about doing what everyone else isn’t.

You may not think poorly trained Manager Mike is hurting your company.

But if you really want to know, ask the team he leads.

If Manager Mike is running talent out of the door at your company OR you just feel like venting about him to someone outside of the organization.

Reply to this email and let’s fix it (or I’ll just listen to you rant).

God Bless,

Scott