A Fix to Stop Employees from Being Miserable

According to a new Gallup report, 60% of workers report being emotionally detached at work and one in five say they are miserable.  So, what’s the solution?

Gallup CEO Jon Clifton says, “The real fix is simple: better leaders in the workplace.  Managers need to be better listeners, coaches and collaborators. Great managers help colleagues learn and grow, recognize their colleagues for doing great work, and make them truly feel cared about.  In environments like this, workers thrive.”

While I agree with Clifton, I disagree that the fix is simple.  If it was easy to become a better leader, more people would.  The truth?   Leadership is hard work and not for the faint of heart. Leadership comes with challenges and complications at every stage, and it also necessitates diminishing the ego.

In my opinion, a better fix is to stop promoting people into managerial positions just because they excel at their job.  The fact that someone is a high performer in their role does not mean they are going to be an effective listener, coach, and guide.

We need to reward high performers in ways that are appropriate and meaningful to them, and allow them to be individual contributors forever if that’s their preference.  And simultaneously, we need to groom other employees to be extraordinary people leaders.

Jill, What Can I Do?  If organizations continue to promote people into managerial positions because they excel at their job, we will continue to have a lot of bad managers in organizations and high levels of employee disengagement.  The fix?  Do not promote someone into a managerial role unless they are passionate about becoming a great leader and leading others.  If they are not?  Recognize them in other ways that makes them feel appreciated, acknowledged, and recognized.  We can – and must – do better.