Lack of leadership is the top reason for The Big Quit

Ineffective managers not only contribute to low morale but can drive top talent out the door. A 2022 GoodHire study showed an astonishing 82 percent of workers would consider quitting their jobs because of a bad manager.

Ineffective leadership traits include bullying, scolding team members in public, avoiding conflict, fostering unhealthy competition, seeing only what’s wrong, taking all the credit, controlling everything, and discouraging new ideas.

Effective leaders praise their employees and give credit to encourage healthy competition. They give employees space to develop their own projects and solutions. They listen before they react and have learned how to communicate—even in stressful situations. Above all, true leaders take responsibility and hold themselves accountable. As the legendary late Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant once said, “If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it.”

One of HR’s most important functions is working collaboratively within an organization to develop future business leaders and empower them to succeed. Becoming a leader takes courage. And finding the confidence to make tough decisions can be difficult.

How can you improve your team’s leadership skills?

Building and maintaining high-performing teams that reward you with loyalty and longevity is based on strong leadership. Become the leader others trust and enhance your credibility to make and challenge difficult decisions.

First, examine your own leadership style. Becoming a leader others want to follow requires emotional intelligence and empathy, especially during a pandemic. While some HR managers know everyone’s birthday, the name of their spouse and children, others remain detached.

Development planning is a key aspect of every HR professional’s job. You not only need employees who can do their jobs today but those who will be able to lead in the future. Identify and nurture those employees.

Craft a personal playbook. Create specific goals for each employee—targets that are measurable and have firm deadlines. Work together on these goals with communication and empathy to support the right needs.

A recent study by WestMonroe revealed that 43 percent of all managers did not receive management training in their first year on the job. Use your research to decide what each employee needs to learn to master the skills you’ve identified together, including formal leadership training and coaching programs.