“Most people don’t leave their jobs, they leave their managers.”
Jason Miller, a highly respected Senior Director at monday.com, has long exemplified this management philosophy by actively investing in the development of his team. Unsurprisingly, his approach has fostered great success – not just for himself but also for those he's mentored, who often credit him for their own leadership skills and achievements.
And this impact adds up. Gallup reports that 70% of team engagement is dependent on the manager, with half of all surveyed workers leaving due to bad management. Similarly, a recent LinkedIn poll revealed that a staggering 82% of respondents have left a job to get away from their managers. These numbers paint a clear picture: retaining top talent, which is crucial for building a high-performing team, hinges on strong leadership.
So, how can managers leverage their influence to maximize employee engagement and unleash the full potential of top performers?
Here are some of Jason’s suggestions:
Align expectations
Whenever someone new joins his team, Jason always makes sure to emphasize that his goal is to help his employees grow and improve. He openly acknowledges that he doesn’t expect them to stay on his team forever, which is why his mission, as their leader, is to make sure that by the time they leave, they are better than they were when they arrived and that they don’t simply make a lateral move. His logic? Setting this expectation with your team members from the get-go helps them feel confident that you have their backs, and that the challenges you offer them to take on as well as the feedback you give will always have the ultimate goal of empowering them to reach their full potential.
Keep your team challenged
When work becomes repetitive and easy, employees start to feel like they’ve reached their ceiling and may begin to lose interest. That’s why Jason always seeks out opportunities to excite top performers and keep work feeling challenging and new. While it’s often assumed that employees are always looking for promotions and the chance to move up in the ranks, research suggests that more often, they simply want the chance to feel challenged and to gain new skills. In fact, an analysis by MIT Sloan Review found that lateral career opportunities are 12x more predictive of employee retention than promotions. So, as you come to understand your employees’ professional weaknesses, keep an eye out for projects or initiatives that will push them out of their comfort zones and help them develop their knowledge and expertise.
Give intentional feedback
When you manage multiple different people, it’s crucial to take the time to understand each of their strengths and weaknesses. This way, you can actually help them excel by giving them timely, honest, and authentic feedback. When Jason identifies an opportunity for his employees to improve, he’ll often start his feedback by asking, "Can I be very direct with you?" Then, he’ll reiterate his goals in sharing this feedback, which is to align on an area for growth, to set the right tone for the conversation and establish an environment of transparency.
And remember – simply saying “Good job” or “I think you could have handled that better” isn’t very helpful because those kinds of remarks fail to give team members the direction and insights needed to improve. Instead, try to spot specific areas in which your team members are performing great and where there seem to be gaps and then relay that information to them in a clear and direct way.
Give meaningful recognition
“Earlier in my career, I got a private message, out of the blue, from my CEO that was very meaningful and showed she noticed. That always stuck with me and is something I do now, as a more senior person at the company. Because I know that making people feel like you see the small things too and giving recognition for something outside of the norm can go a long way.”
Even though he now oversees so many people across his department, Jason still goes out of his way to reach out to high-performing employees to let them know that he sees and appreciates the small things they do too. Achievers research backs this approach, with 74% of surveyed workers mentioning recognition as a top factor that would keep them at their current company. Additionally, in a Bonusly and SurveyMonkey study, 63% of employees who frequently receive personal recognition at their organization said that they were unlikely to look for a new job. These types of acknowledgments help convey to team members that they are doing what they should be doing and that you, as their leader, recognize the value they bring. All of these are key to ensuring your employees feel motivated and excited to stick around.
Interested in related blog content? Click here to read about how leaders can create a culture of innovation.
