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If You're a Manager, You're Already Screwed (Unless You Start Doing This Right Away)

May 5, 2016 Eric Stewart

Managers are in trouble

Good managers are hard to come by. Great managers are as rare as gold. Which is why managers might be screwed.

People don’t find their managers and leaders as effective anymore. Most people, if not all, can recall experiences with a less than stellar manager. One who put them through the ringer, one who they didn’t trust, or one who occasionally operated in too much of a gray area for anyone’s comfort. Poor leaders don’t appear to be going anywhere either.

All of our experiences with ineffective leaders have culminated in the findings of a recent study from Intensions. The study surveyed 2,299 adults in Canada and found 26% of them believe an “unbiased computer program” would prove to be more ethical and trustworthy than their current managers and leaders. Even more alarming, and probably not surprising, for those aged 20-39, the number increased to 31%.

Yes, you read that right.

For fans of the Terminator movies it sounds an awful lot like the rise of the machines – except the only people who should be worried are the managers. Nikolas Badminton, a Futurist and an expert on the future of work claims, “People are losing faith [and trust] in human management, and rightly so.” Cue the development of programs to start doing your job. People have in fact lost so much faith in their leaders that 45% of those surveyed would like to start their own business or work for themselves in the future, because the idea of not having a manager is that appealing.

We’re individuals who were raised, and are continually told throughout our lives, to question everything. It is no wonder people are questioning work place norms like the trustworthiness and ethical behavior of our leaders and managers. After all, we’re all looking for someone who has our best interests in mind.

People will only continue to voice their beliefs that computer programs would be better managers and leaders. Unless their managers and leaders take action. I once wrote about what makes CEOs stupid and how a leader’s lack of visibility is the greatest contributor to leadership stupidity. As a leader, you absolutely cannot neglect your obligation to your people. It’s surprising how something as simple as increased visibility can move that 26% down.

We often find leaders unethical and untrustworthy, not because they are (although it’s possible some might be – however rare), but because their typical interactions with them are negative interactions. The boss pops his head in when you did something wrong, when you showed up late for work, or you’re behind on that project. A leader needs to show us they care about us. They need to show us their intentions aren’t just about the bottom line. Leaders can regain the trust of the 1/4th of people who would rather turn to computer programs for management.

This will only happen with an intentional effort on behalf of managers and leaders. If our leaders continue in their ways, 26% will only edge further closer to 50%, and by then the scale is tipped. A concerted effort to be better and do better is all it takes.

Without the effort – managers definitely are screwed.

TOPICS: High Performance, Truth, Employee Engagement