The Blindsided Manager

A couple of days ago an old team member called me who is now a business head and manages a large team. She went on to tell me how a good number of her direct reports recently quit. Her issue was not attrition but the fact that she didn’t see it coming – she felt she was blindsided.?

Every coin has 2 sides. I am certain employees who quit will have a different story to tell.?

So let's attempt to address why communication with the manager might actually be in the interest of both employee & the manager, and how one should be timing these conversations.?

But before we delve into the topic, let’s just take a step back and look at why people quit in the first place.?Basis my own experience, it’s just one of 3 factors:

Even if one may feel that their reason for quitting is something different, if you will deep dive, my guess is that one of the above would be the trigger. When one of these 3 triggers happens, often, employees start seeking opportunities and assume that:

• Their current organisation/manager can’t do anything to solve the trigger
• Their current organisation/manager won’t do anything to solve the trigger

But that is not always the case. In fact, it’s rarely so. Inquisitive? Lets understand the Why, the What and the How of this.

Why will the manager solve for the trigger?

• Why not? Every manager’s KPI are the sum of the team’s KPI
• Though every stand-up comedian today may have made him a monster, but in the real world he/she is a human, most likely has gone through the dilemma that you are undergoing right now.

What can the manager do to solve for the trigger?

• Give you a project/increase your visibility?
• Propose your candidature for a new team/new role
• Speak to the HR for a compensation correction/promotion

How will the manager solve for the trigger?

• Speak with you and understand the concern
• Speak internally and use his/her visibility to figure out a solution

I can understand the question brewing up in your mind right now. That this may sound logical, but it doesn’t work like that in the real world. Managers are self-centered, and honesty is the best policy that doesn't always work. Right?

But things are changing. There are more forums to make yourself heard now than ever before. The growth path is now increasingly merit based and not a function of certain years spent. And most importantly, good talent is not easy to replace.

So go ahead, try discussing your trigger with your manager. After all, a known devil is better than an unknown one!