Is Biff Tannen Your Manager?

We all know turnover is one of the most costly key elements in any organization. The monies spent on salaries for the recruiters along with other HR employees to review company protocols with new hires. Not to mention the costs of company materials such as PC's and tablets. Other factors include the cost of training's which may include air fare, car rentals, and meals. I don't have to do the math you get it. Retaining talent is extremely frustrating and high level executives becoming more puzzled to why? They've felt they hired the right candidate. He or she went through 2-3 interviews, references checked out, started out strong, but is now gone somewhere between 12-36 months later. At the end of the day, many managers throughout the organizations fortune 500 companies in particular will do what many people do. Blame the other person and not themselves. Those mangers would run communication up the ladder to executives to why we need to replace yet another John or Jane Doe. 

We all know Biff from Back to the Future. The egomaniac alpha male bully who only looked good at work because scared George McFly did all his reporting for him. "You may remember in the beginning on the movie before Marty toughened his dad up when he went back in time." There are plenty of 'Biff Tannens' in the workforce today and quite a few of them are managers. Of course they do not come across as the dopey caricature as the real Biff as they are quite clever, manipulative, and know how to play the corporate game. 

The Tannen types are the usual ones who'll go to a Tony Robbins weekend seminar and walk out shouting "I'M A DO-ER" like Mark Wahlberg in the movie Pain and Gain. Then come in Monday morning all acting like Robbins himself telling the staff to go be "A DO-ER" There's nothing wrong at all with being a do-er. I am one myself and we all know the world needs more of them, but it's how you go about it that makes the difference. So Biff will come in with the usual repeated script of building a routine of time management, adding in workouts, and doing more by going the extra mile. After the meeting wraps up he'll go back to his office with the two to three closest peers and do nothing but continue the game plan to micromanage and criticize the 'weak' ones. 

Now who pays for those 'weak' ones? Surly not Biff. The corporation does. Biff doesn't write the salary checks for the recruiter and the new hire out of his own bank account therefore he has no vested interest in that person hence the 'turn and burn' mindset comes into play. The point I'm trying to make here is that leadership is vital to the turnover factor and many senior leaders will turn a blind eye to that notion maybe because Biff is well connected within the organization and has a ton of tenure. According to statistics, "Click here" the investment on a new hire that leaves within 18-36 months is the salary x 4 when it's all said and done. Think about that Mr. or Mrs. Executive the next time you go fly in to a city to evaluate the department and you hear Biff talking a good game over a few after hour beers. Don't just buy Biff's Baloney. Do some looking and locate him.  

              A few ways to be aware you may have a Biff Tannen:

• If turnover is high and productivity is down in a department on a constant basis and the manager is great and putting a fresh shiny coat of paint over the same excuses; You may have a 'Biff.' 
• The office is made for executives and senior leadership so If you notice your front line manager is not in the trenches with the front line people doing the work along with them, but rather sits in his office all day on the Mac or PC sipping on coffee and is out eating nice lunches only to point out everyone's faults and failures; You may have a 'Biff.' 
• If you notice your manager is not liked or respected outside a few people which is a big reason for the constant turnover; You may have a 'Biff.'
• If you notice your manager always hangs around the same 2-3 people throughout the day always in meetings / lunches usually to keep re-enforcing his opinions sort of like Biff's groupies in the movie; You may have a Biff.

    Now that you're aware of Biff, here are some ways to hold him accountable:

• Tie in his compensation to the turnover in some form. Make him now have a vested interest. For example; If you have a Sales Manager or Sr. Sales Manager collecting commission overrides on the department usually living off of the top producers while the company is bleeding from the turnover of those who do not make the cut then tie in whose overrides on the termed employees as well. I bet the Biff types will then start to focus on the 'weak' ones to lead and help them grow them -or - He or she will leave the company. It's a win/win either way.
• Make Biff live a day in the life of the front line peer. I love the show Undercover Boss. For a week have Biff do as he says and practice what he preaches. So the next time when Biff comes in and presents a plan saying; "I'll get my team to do XYZ" Reply saying; "Great! You go do it first and lead by example."
• Stay engaged yourself. If you're a senior leader or on the executive team go hang out with some the frontline workers and gather their insights. Ask them how they're working with their direct leader. 

                    Final example of Tannen vs Non Tannen:

If you take a look at the two NFL coaches below, you'll immediately notice which one is totally Tannen and which one is totally not. 

Former NFL Coach (Let me repeat the word 'former') Rex Ryan fits the mold of a Biff Tannen. In his press conferences he was all bullish and brash while talking to the media. Even Mocking Bill Belichick as if he were George McFly every time before they played. That did stop as each year after year as his loses kept piling up their head-to-head match ups finishing at a sub-par record of 4-12 against him. Rex Ryan has a total extrovert personality like Biff. When it comes to listening, what goes in one ear comes out the other. Not to say all extroverts are bad leaders, but it's the listening that makes leaders great leaders. Now let's look at the other coach.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has a 5-2 record in Super Bowl appearances and could have easily been 7-0 not to mention all the conference championship games and division titles. When Coach Belichick speaks to the media he's very quiet. Gives 1-2 sentence answers and moves on. Doesn't mock the opposition or talk smack. He just has his team ready to play week in and week out and let's them do the talking by winning. The way he coaches he puts the players in the best positions to win. He listens to his assistant coaches and team captains. You get the picture. 

You'll may also notice at your place of employment / team the Biff Tannen personality types usually dislike the Non-Tannen types and the feeling is mutual on the other side which of course leads to the clashes and conflicts in workplace that HR departments know all so well. 

The bottom line is if you're in HR and you see a department's manager always turning and burning, hiring and firing people a.k.a losing like Rex Ryan which costs the organization a lot time, effort, and money ask yourself the following questions; "Is that manager a Rex Ryan or Bill Belichick?" "Do we have a Biff Tannen? If so, can we do better?" 

Now that my editorial is complete. I'd like to share with you some of the robust analytics that I offer my clients to dive deeper and spot a Biff through reporting. 

By using what we call NetInsight reporting. My clients on the C-Level leadership Team can see turnover drilled down to specific structures and departments as well as under specific leadership umbrellas. This detailed reporting tool can literally help organizations with heavy turnover stop the bleeding if they're spending tens of thousands of dollars on a revolving door on people. You'll now see whom those people are reporting to and begin to see the devil in the details as opposed to just hearing people throughout the company complain about the obvious. 

Feedback welcomed so please like. comment, or share if you felt this was helpful!

Article written by Michael Pedalino. Michael Pedalino advises organizations on Human Capital Management solutions at Netchex offering Simple Powerful Technology. He is also a blogger and sales coach proudly committed to serving the community of New Orleans.