Low Engagement is a Leadership Problem

To stay competitive in a complex and continually changing environment, companies need an engaged workforce. But the countless hours we’ve spent with our clients has made it clear that companies across industries and around the world are dealing with low employee engagement. 

Studies show that just over 30% of employees are engaged. And that low engagement is turning into high turnover. Last year, the voluntary quit rate was 25% higher than it was before the pandemic, and 40% of workers are considering leaving their job this year. 

Of course, none of this is news to you. Here’s what may be: your engagement problem and your turnover problem are actually a leadership problem. 

Mistake #1: You Hire or Promote Someone Who “Seems” Like a Leader

The problem is, the qualities that make someone seem like a leader in an interview tend to make those leaders ambitious, narcissistic, and self-promoting once they’re in the role. And, odds are they’ll all look kind of like you.

Mistake #2: You Promote Someone Based on a Recommendation

But, a study of a large group of mid-career leaders found that those who got promoted spent most of their time managing politics. So instead of a leader who is talented at building engagement, employee morale, and team performance, you get someone who is talented at shaking the right hands.

Mistake #3: You Promote Top Performers

The problem is, when you promote individual contributors to managers, or managers to organizational leaders, the skills that drive performance change. In other words, the qualities it takes to be a great salesperson don’t necessarily translate when it comes to managing a team of salespeople.