Managers are not paid to be loved, obviously. But to go from there to suggest that a good third of employees around the planet find then ineffective… Yet this is what Development Dimensions International (DDI) noted in a recent survey.
34% out of 1200 respondents consider their superior to be ineffective most of the time. This is a significant proportion and probably explains why 45% think that they are more competent than their leader. But this does not necessarily mean that they want to replace them (46%). To justify their choice they advance several arguments such as stress, the responsibility and the additional pressure that these positions generate.
Productivity at half mast
This unfavourable judgment of managers and their skills often has an influence within organizations, particularly in terms of productivity. In the DDI study, 37% of employees said that they had never done their best for their superior, or on rare occasions. A good half (53%) of respondents reported that they are not currently working with the most competent superior that they have known during their career. 56% of them are would also be between 20% and 60% more productive if this were the case and 26% would be between 41% and 60%.
Self-esteem
Employees surveyed frequently complained that their superior was not sufficiently attentive. Some data are not very reassuring – 60% of respondents reported that their leader sometimes or often hurts their self-esteem. To win their employee's confidence, managers need to show more interest. For employees, this includes appropriate recognition for their work, support for projects, involvement in decision making and listening. These are essential skills that can influence results in the company, for productivity, motivation and loyalty.