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Ever work in a company where
prospects of advancement or expansion of responsibilities were nonexistent? Someplace where you knew that you weren’t going anywhere? Stay very long? That’s my point. Without an opportunity for growth, learning, expansion of responsibility, and increase in personal value, people leave. When people aren’t developed, turnover takes place.
Have you ever worked in a company where major changes were “sprung” on you like a surprise attack? Where work was assigned to you and after you completed it, you found out you had done wrong thing? What happens when people don’t communicate effectively? Poor communication leads to misunderstandings, conflict, de-motivation, and stress. What do misunderstanding, conflict, de-motivation and stress lead to? You got it – turnover.
And then comes most insidious issue of them all - treating people as objects rather than people. The truth is that from time to time we all fall into this trap to one degree or another. I’m talking about how we regard people. Again, use your own experience as your best example. Have you ever had someone say something kind or positive to you, but you sensed that they were being “phony”? They used right words, but you could tell their words were insincere? Did you believe words or your sense of person? No questions about it – we believe our sense of things and people. When we are faced with someone who says one thing but means another, does our respect for that person increase, decrease or stay same? Clearly it decreases. Not only do we rely on our sense of person – our intuition – but we form opinions about them based on our insights. Have you ever worked for someone who you lost respect for? Did you stay at that job very long? When people treat other people as objects, turnover occurs.
Purpose, integrity, developing people, effective communications, and regarding people as people are all leadership issues. Exceptional leadership inspires best effort in others, and when people give their best effort, result is a high performance organization.
When you and your organization have a clearly defined Purpose, you attract and retain talent you need. When you and your organization have integrity, you build trust and loyalty. When you and your organization are committed to developing people, people become best they can be. When you and your organization communicate effectively, conflict and tension diminish and cooperation increases. When you and your organization work to treat people as people, they appreciate it and reciprocate.
Turnover isn’t a problem - it’s a symptom caused by leadership problems. Fortunately, problems can be solved, and you have power to make that difference. Strive to become best leader you can be.
Written by Michael Beck, President of Exceptional Leadership, Inc., a leadership development and executive coaching firm dedicated to creating exceptional leadership for higher profits and greater job satisfaction. Michael can be reached at 877-977-8956 or mbeck@XLeaders.com, and you can learn more about the company and these ideas at www.XLeaders.com Permission to reprint with full attribution. Copyright 2004, Exceptional Leadership, Inc.
