People don’t quit a job; they quit a boss - that saying is a long-held belief in the business sphere. Author Wally Schmader wrote for Linkedin, “A 2020 Gallup survey showed that 54% of employees who have quit their jobs over the previous 12 months have done so to get away from their bosses” (2021). I can’t help but question that notion – someone’s personal employment decision cannot be as black and white as the likeability of their manager.
People leave their jobs for a variety of reasons. According to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey on why people quit their jobs, it was found that it was due to “low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work” (Parker, 2022). Lori Goler, the Head of people at Meta, wrote for the Harvard Business Review that people also leave jobs because of the jobs themselves (2018). She explained that Meta has worked to strengthen its management teams, but talented people were still leaving even though they were satisfied with their managers (2018).
Goler has a point. As a kid, I was told I needed to find a job doing what I loved. Yet, as I got older, I realized “doing what you love” isn’t as simple as it sounds. A 2010 study discussed this: “little research has explored the notion that people are frequently unable to work in occupations that answer their callings” (Berg, 2010). Some part of an employee’s work (both on and off the clock) must satisfy their callings; this is where a great manager comes in.
As I researched, I couldn’t help but draw similarities between the management style of BlueTickSocial’s fearless leader and founder, Yasmine Khosrowshahi, and the ones of business managers who I found to be the most successful. I sent her this quote, “Most companies design jobs and then slot people into them. Our best managers sometimes do the opposite: When they find talented people, they’re open to creating jobs around them” (2018).
When I asked her thoughts , she responded, “I definitely try to create opportunities around our team members. When new clients come on, I actually decide the account lead based on personality and who I think would thrive the most from working with that client – and vice versa.”
The conversation transformed into an interview. Khosrowshahi ensures that everyone understands their tasks and roles by maintaining an open-door policy for any questions or needs. When asked about her management emphasis, she says, “It’s important to guide my team. Encouragement and nourishment are vital to any team in marketing,”
BTS works with different clients with varying needs, which can get overwhelming. She emphasizes the importance of her employees, noting how much she cares about their well-being. “If my employees are stressed, the quality of work can go down. We try to make every task they [BTS employees] have exciting.”
I asked her about an article written by the editorial team of Indeed. They named 11 ways to be a good manager: building and encouraging communication skills, supporting collaboration, providing clarity, offering and receiving consistent feedback, practicing active listening, acknowledging others, setting a positive example, setting achievable goals, providing training, improving your leadership skills, and understanding your role.
Her management style has grown over time. She said that when starting BTS, she focused on encouragement, setting goals, and training. But over time and through trial and error, she has realized the importance of every aspect of that list. “You cannot have just one- they have to coexist,” she states.
Yasmine believes that “A leader is someone who creates more leaders. The most gratifying thing for me is to see my team members evolve into confident, strong, and fierce leaders daily. I’m really proud of who is representing BTS.”
A good manager is essential to providing an enjoyable work experience, however, it is not always that simple. A good manager is not just someone you can lean on when things go wrong – a good manager strives to let the job fit the person instead of the other way around.
References:
People quit bosses, not companies
The biggest lie in HR: people quit bosses not companies
When callings are calling: crafting work and leisure in pursuit of unanswered occupational callings
.jpeg)
