“A manager is not a person who can do the work better than his men; he is a person who can get his men to do the work better than he can” -Frederick W. Smith
Introduction
Gallup poll established, beyond doubt, that good people leave their companies because they are dissatisfied with their relationship with their immediate supervisor or manager. We all might have heard the old saying, “People join companies, but they leave their managers.” While few great employees might say that they have left “for more money,” a study of more than 19,000 employee exit interviews by the Saratoga Institute found that only 12 percent of employees left their jobs in pursuit of higher-paying positions. At the same time it’s also true that, it takes a lot to pry great people away from what we call “Magnetic Managers.”
Managers Are Important?
Success in business happens because of successful employees and strong managers are one of the most critical components of Employee Success. Because, employees leave managers, not companies. By helping our managers do their jobs better, we build companies that work better overall.
While not everybody can be a great leader, anyone can become a Magnetic Manager by simply following management practices:
- Hire right. As Red Auerbach, the legendary NBA coach, rightly said, “If you hire the wrong people, all the fancy management techniques in the world won’t bail you out.” So put more thought and care into deciding who to hire. It’s a choice that will not only ultimately cost more money but also impacts the bottom line.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. Good communication is basic to successful management. Peter Drucker, in his foreword to a book on communication, states quite bluntly that poor communication is a direct result of our ignorance. So your goal is to keep everyone in the loop and on the same page and no hidden agendas or information withheld.
- The Platinum Rule. Manage people the way they prefer to be managed, not the way you prefer to manage them. Productivity increases and employee turnover decreases when you suit your style to theirs.
- Stand Under the Arch. The ancient Romans had a tradition that whenever one of their engineers constructed an arch, as the capstone was hoisted into place, the engineer assumed accountability for his work in the most profound way possible: he stood under the arch. Meet this kind of a standard by holding yourself and each of your team members accountable for accomplishing specific goals and tasks.
- Recognition. Every single one of us needs acknowledgment, appreciation, and validation. Look for things that are going right and give sincere, specific recognition.
- Positive mental attitude. Attitudes are contagious. Put a lid on “The Four C’s:” complaining, criticism, comparison, and condemnation and focus instead on optimism, accomplishments, and opportunities.
Conclusion
Like coaches, who inspire and challenge athletes to reach their greatest potential, at the workplace managers inspire, motivate and lead employees to drive results, in addition to boosting employee retention. And, when employees have a great relationship with their manager, there is a social cost to leaving. Employees who are emotionally tied to their manager and company are less likely to be poached or coaxed with more money. As rightly said by Peter Drucker, the man who invented management, “The productivity of work is not the responsibility of the worker but of the manager. “So be a Magnetic manager.