In the last few years I have seen at least 10 people at good managerial positions, almost at the top of the line in the respective field, quit their jobs without one in hand.
This HBR article by people heads at Facebook starts with the oft heard conclusion, “People don’t quit a job — they quit a boss”, it goes on to say the actual bets were on the managers. LinkedIn’s Jeff Weiner too states, people are leaving their manager!
My reasons too started gravitating towards this thought as I have seen many people talk fondly of their organisations years after they’ve left it in bitter circumstances, but never talk fondly about their bosses. If answers to most of the following questions are yes, then probably it’s the immediate manager that is the reason for him leaving their jobs.
- The unbiased feedback from the person who quit about the organisation positive? Does he talk positively about the company to people outside?
- The person who quit is willing to join back the organisation if given a second chance in a few years?
- The manager seldom discussed personal priorities of his subordinates during appraisals?
- The manager seldom pushed for his subordinates to move to newer opportunities?
- Adequate support was given to the person who quit to do things he thought benefited the organisation? In other words he was given enough responsibility and freedom to experiment?
- If person who quit wasn’t informed about recent people movements / role changes / organisational restructuring around him? The manager didn’t share / discuss the how and why of these issues with him?
