Overall, people who are nice people tend to lead a higher-performing department that those who are harsh, hard-driving, "results at all costs" managers. Hard-drivers actually diminish the bottom-line. It turns out, the managers who get the best results and make more money for the company are the self-aware managers who are exceptional at communicating one-on-one with their people. This is exactly what I have been saying: managers need to be more like personal coaches than policemen.
Here are some other findings of note:
- Bullies, often seen as part of a business-building culture, were typically signs of incompetence and lack of strategic intellect.
- Poor interpersonal skills lead to under-performance in most executive functions.
- "Self-awareness," should actually be a top criterion in choosing managers.
- Executives who change jobs frequently are often trying to outrun a problem, and that problem often has to do with how they 'fit' in the workplace.
- People with multiple siblings tend to be better managers.
The market is changing. Old style thinking and old-style courses haven't been able to solve the problems because the problems still exist. But the philosophy of "make people feel like they mean something" improves engagement, loyalty and recruiting for top talent.
But only do this if you WANT to be better than mediocre. Otherwise, ignore my words and do nothing differently.
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Kevin Burns - Management Attitude/Culture Strategist
http://www.kevburns.com
Creator of Filter-Free Fridays™
Creator of the 90-Day System To A Greatness Culture™
Coming Soon Kevin's 8th Book - "Your Attitude Sucks - Finding Your Excellence In A Wasteland of Mediocrity
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