Shifting the ‘People Leave Managers’ Narrative

We typically hear: “people don’t leave companies; they leave managers.”

Let’s reframe the message: People stay at companies because of their manager.

I was blessed throughout my career because of my managers. I stayed at my companies because they trusted me and gave me life-changing opportunities. I learned something from every manager I had.

And, just as you learned from your managers, those you manage learn from your actions every day. 

Here are three ways we can lead by example to positively influence our employees.

Empower your employees to create their path.

Data suggests “the real cost of turnover is often estimated to be 33% to two times the employee’s annual salary.” There’s never been a better time to design your career path. And your employees know this as well. 

Give your team the flexibility to design a future job role. Talk to them about your career path, share the unique career paths of others in your company, or suggest they hold discussions with other mentors to learn how to create their job descriptions. Your team will appreciate you’re thinking about their future.

Set and live your boundaries.

Recent studies suggest “more than half of Americans fear their employer would think less of them if they requested time off for mental health.” This is a problem! Your team members, particularly those new to their careers, will follow your lead on how and when you communicate with them. 

Conduct a self-audit of how you spend your nights, weekends and vacations. Do you send emails late at night? Your employees may well be waiting online to receive them. Join meetings while on vacation? Your employees will keep their notifications on while getting a tan at the beach. 

Even if you have the best intentions to ask your teams to take time off and shut down their phones, people won’t follow if you don’t do it yourself!

Think like you’re the one receiving communications. 

I’ve received poorly written emails throughout my career. Unfortunately, they cause more anxiety, stress and confusion than necessary. Keep your communication tight, yet solution- and action-oriented with the right level of context to help set the receiver up for success. 

The most important thing is to think through the lens of the recipient. Do they have everything needed to act? Will a calendar invite titled simply “Chat” help reduce the stress levels of the recipient? Probably not.

Installing these techniques will help build trust and rapport with your team, giving them the flexibility to manage their family and job and, ultimately, show your value as a leader.