Whats Leadership Got to Do With Retention

written on February 20, 2009 by Kenyon Mau

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Have you had that one supervisor that didn't seem like a "typical" manager?  They were not like the pointy-hair boss of Dilbert cartoon fame.  There was not even a hint of Meryl Streep's character in "The Devil Wore Prada".  They were kind, considerate, motivational and the kind of person you would do just about anything for?  I had a coach in college like that. He was open, respectful, considerate, fair and firm, and we knew he cared about his players.  We, his team, would literally do anything for him.  We did not place that high in the division standings.  Yet, we were a tight-knit group and I never felt being a part of something more special in sports since then.  That coach was able to bring out the best in his players and I still remember that support even today. I may not have realized it then,  but  I was watching a great leader at work.

Having said that, what has leadership got to do with recruiting and retaining employees?  Well, everything.  Now much has been written on leadership and its place in business.  What has not been mentioned much is how an intelligent leader can be an organization's best recruiting and retention tool.  Studies have shown time and time again a leader who has an emotional intelligence is the one who is more productive.  Many books on emotional intelligence have been written over the years, with even some of the pioneering work being done here in Cleveland.  Research has shown that a leader who can engage people and connect with their needs is the person who lights the fire within employees.  The idea in emotional intelligence begins with a group of five traits that allow managers to maximize not only their own skills but those of their subordinates.

In brief, these traits deal with that leader's ability to understand and manage themselves while also doing exactly the same with those around them through:

Self Awareness: knowing your own strengths, weakness, values, motivations and how all these impact those around you.

Self-Regulation: knowing when to react to negative emotions and when not to

Motivation:  knowing what drives you to achieve

Empathy:  knowing the impact of what you do and say going to be on others

Social:  knowing how to manage relationships in a way that moves people in the direction they need to go.

Imagine you are working for someone that has mastered these traits?  That manager would be capable of finding talent and keeping it within the organization.  Ultimately, that is what we want our managers to do. Why?  Not only does it keep superior employees motivated with the organization, it can also form a pipeline of talent to progress up the chain to higher levels of responsibility.  This in turn helps with succession planning. All this boils down to igniting enthusiasm - the fuel of retention.

How might you rate yourself on your own self awareness?  How well can you motivate your employees in a meaningful way not involving threats?  Can you honestly keep it together when the situation calls for it?  Countless employee surveys have shown that the number one reason people leave a company is their boss and either how poor a leader they are, or how much they block their employees' career progression unintentionally or otherwise.  It might be time to look in the mirror and ask yourself some honest questions about your emotional intelligence.

We will continue this topic in future posts.  In the meantime, remember the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm".  Enthusiasm is contagious.  Showing your employees how much you value them through enthusiasm for them using these 5 traits of emotional intelligence can ignite their passion for you, the same way my college did with me.