Good managers lead employees to individuals who can best help them.
Nearly half of employees quit a job because of a bad manager. That's according to the Udemy In Depth 2018 Employee Experience Report, which also finds that employees expect hands-on managers who help them develop in their careers, "not just someone monitoring performance in their current jobs."
This concurs with data from Gallup's State of the American Manager. Gallup reports that managers account for at least 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement scores, but only one in 10 people possesses the talent to manage. In other words, few executives have a strong natural ability to motivate teams, build trust, and coach and develop their people.
Gartner agrees. The company recently surveyed 7,300 employees and managers across 25 industries and interviewed and surveyed more than 300 HR executives to categorize managers' development and performance management approaches. The data reveal that only 40 percent of employees believe their managers help them develop the skills they need for their current role, and even fewer employees feel their manager is effectively preparing them for their future careers.
In studying the connection between development approaches and employee performance, Gartner's research reveals more success among managers who not only give targeted coaching and feedback but also connect employees with other team members or people within the organization who are better suited to the task. Gartner calls these leaders "connector managers."
Connector managers focus more on assessing their employees' skills, needs, and interests, explains Gartner. "Their coaching puts more weight on asking the right questions, giving tailored feedback and being the link between them and other colleagues who can help the performance of their employees," says Sari Wilde, research leader for Gartner's HR practice.
What's more, Gartner's research indicates that connector managers don't presume to be able to coach their direct reports on absolutely everything that employees need to do and know. Instead, they foster meaningful connections among team members and the broader organization. These managers guide their direct reports to people and resources beyond their own sphere and expose employees to the best opportunities to acquire experience "at the very moment that employee is primed to learn."
Wilde explains, "connector managers create an environment that encourages transparency and skill sharing within their teams so that employees can learn from one another, not overrelying on managers for everything."
The result: Gartner research shows that connector managers improve employee performance by up to 26 percent. That makes them a major asset for talent development managers who need to work with organizational leaders on building employee development and coaching programs.
Read more from CTDO magazine: Essential talent development content for C-suite leaders.
