The Impact of One Bad Leader

It's disappointing how one bad leader can change someone's entire experience with a company.

According to Gallup, approximately 50% of employees have left a job at some point in their career to get away from their manager. Think about that. Not necessarily because of the company or because of the work. Because of the person they report to.

An employee can love their work and feel proud of their company, but if they are being treated poorly by their leader, all those other positives tend to be overshadowed.

When people don't receive feedback, are made promises that never materialize, or find out their leader has gone behind their back, trust starts to erode. They take notice. And so does everyone else paying attention.

People become quieter. They stop offering suggestions or taking initiative because they no longer trust how their leader will respond. Before assuming someone is disengaged, think about what they are experiencing.

Sure, the leader may be getting results. But what behaviors are they using to get them and how are they treating people along the way?

When concerns are raised and nothing changes, employees begin to question the companies commitment to the values they heard about during their interview and see displayed on the wall. If respect and accountability are part of those values, the expectactations need to apply to everyone...especially leaders.

The people you put in leadership roles have a signicant impact on whether employees choose to stay. Make sure you understand what it feels like to work for them.