From Shouting to Leading: The Impact of Leadership Style on Employee Retention

In today’s society, it is not uncommon for professionals to work in offices without maintaining a high level of professionalism. Unfortunately, some professionals may not even realize that they are engaging in unprofessional behavior during their professional activities. This is a problem that I have personally encountered in my own career.

I had a reporting boss who was highly trained and experienced, but his behavior was consistently unprofessional. For example, he never took responsibility for his mistakes and refused to see areas for improvement. He had a tendency to blame others, shout and engage in misbehavior. As a result, the organization had a very high employee turnover rate. On the other hand,

I also had a boss who was very cooperative and helpful. He was always open to identifying areas for improvement and provided constructive feedback and suggestions for the future. He was polite, and calm and took ownership of his responsibilities. This type of leadership helped to improve employee retention in the organization.

I also want to share another example of my early day’s professional experience. I was assigned to lead a small marketing team and one of our responsibilities was to hang street banners. However, my boss noticed that the banners were not placed in the right places or in the right way. Instead of scolding us, he inspired and guided us on what to do next.

The following day, we again hung the banners but the results were the same. This time, my boss didn’t say anything but joined us the following day with the team to show us how to do it. With this positive attitude, he taught us how behavior can help inspire a team. After this incident, the team learned the idea of what the boss wanted us to do.

Being a boss or a manager is a challenging task that requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and experience. However, even the most experienced managers can make mistakes that can negatively impact the performance of their team. In this blog, we will discuss some of the common mistakes that most bosses make and how to avoid them.

1. Not going into detail: One of the most common mistakes that bosses make is not providing enough details to their team members. This can lead to confusion and a lack of understanding of the task at hand, which can result in poor performance. To avoid this mistake, it’s important to clearly explain the task, the objectives, and the expected results.
2. Only defining, no description of the task: Another common mistake is giving only a definition of the task without providing a clear description of what needs to be done. This can lead to confusion and lack of understanding among team members, who may not know how to proceed. To avoid this mistake, it’s important to provide a clear and detailed description of the task, including the steps that need to be taken.
3. Just instruction, no demonstration: A boss may give instructions on how to perform a task, but not demonstrate it, which can lead to mistakes and misunderstandings. It’s essential for a manager to show how the task is done, and also to answer questions or doubts that the team may have.
4. Only seeing others’ mistakes, never correcting by doing himself: A common mistake of a boss is only seeing the mistakes of others and never correcting them by doing them himself. This can lead to resentment and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to lead by example and to be willing to correct his own mistakes.
5. Not sharing a clear vision and goals with team members: A boss may have a clear vision and goals for the team but not share them with the team members. This can lead to confusion and a lack of direction among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to share his vision and goals with the team and to ensure that they understand and are aligned with them.
6. Only providing orders: A boss may only give orders to the team without providing the necessary support and guidance. This can lead to poor performance and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to provide guidance and support to the team, and to be open to feedback and suggestions.
7. No proper evaluation and monitoring: A boss may not evaluate and monitor the performance of the team, which can lead to poor performance and lack of motivation. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to regularly evaluate and monitor the performance of the team, and to provide feedback and support as needed.
8. Lack of delegation and unawareness of biases: A boss may not delegate tasks properly or may not be aware of his own biases. This can lead to poor performance and a lack of motivation among team members. To avoid this, it’s important for a boss to delegate tasks properly, be aware of his own biases, and take steps to mitigate them.

This is a common scenario where the boss only gives advice but does not show how to do it and if the result is not as expected, they start shouting again. In my experience, I found that employee retention depends on a leader’s approach, behavior, and professional positive personality traits. A positive attitude and guidance can inspire the team to improve and learn. It’s important for a boss to lead by example and to be patient, understanding, and supportive. By fostering a culture of professionalism and positivity, organizations can improve employee satisfaction, retention, and ultimately, productivity and profitability.

In conclusion, being a boss or a manager is not easy, but by avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a positive and productive work environment for your team. By providing clear instructions, leading by example, sharing your vision and goals, and providing proper evaluation and monitoring, you can inspire your team to achieve success. Additionally, it is important to delegate tasks, be aware of biases and provide necessary support and guidance.

 

Author

K M Hasan Ripon,

Executive Director, Bangladesh Skill Development Institute (BSDI)

Email: [email protected]