‘People don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses’
March 2024
I've had two life changing bosses in my career - one great, the other shocking. I thought of them because of a report this week: 1 in 3 employees have reported a toxic manager, and 2-in-5 have left because of their boss. It’s in the 2024 Workplace Training Report by Corndel.
When I was starting my career, I worked for Robert (pictured). He knew how to manage me and motivate me. Within hours of joining his team I knew recruitment was for me. His management style was unique to each team member. Never ‘broad brushing’ us as individuals in my view was key to his success. Totally authentic. Charismatic. Funny. Humble when required. Quick to congratulate, and to celebrate your success and personal growth.
He knew our success was ‘entwined’, so encouragement, mentoring and motivation were traits he deployed well. He also shared the big picture – how we fitted into things, and were part of the business growth story. From a discipline perspective, his ‘stare’ when I messed up when learning the job (which of course I did) was sufficient for me to learn and learn quickly. No way did I want to make the same mistake again! His real strength was once the ‘bell’ went at the end of the day all was forgotten. He created a winning culture, particularly for me. It was great fun and enjoyable. I would stay all day and night to find the candidate which was potentially a ‘needle in the haystack’ search. I stayed 6 years.
Frank (not his real name) couldn’t have been more different. Where Robert worked on an open sales floor, Frank stayed locked in an office. He was aloof and unapproachable. This company was regional and smaller, compared to where Robert worked. With 6 years’ experience under my belt, I was decent at my job. Soon I was doing well, making money for myself and the business. But I was outgrowing the role, and the business.
Frank didn’t know any of this. Every morning at 10am Frank walked directly past my desk and never said ‘morning’ to me once. I wasn’t needy whatsoever. In my book it was being polite and civilised. I only had conversations through intermediaries and not him. Cold. Dull. Remote. Frank was not interested in me one bit. He wasn’t interested in sharing the big picture. Nothing to get buy-in to him or the business. Frank wasn’t toxic but he didn’t care about me other than the fees I generated. I left after 13 months to set up Sellick Partnership.
There’s an adage: people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses. Despite my own experience, I disagree. People leave bad managers when they’re working in good companies. In a bad company, people just leave.
Why does this matter? You need to make sure your managers are good. Ensuring they're helped and trained to be capable and understand their teams, and their responsibilities.
More than ever, workplace culture matters. Getting it right or wrong makes a difference to a company.
Don’t be Frank. Be more Robert.