Great organizations are built on trust. When managers don’t have time for leadership-whether that’s due to seeking out new business or keeping up with existing clients-this trust dissipates. Employees begin to feel unrecognized, undervalued, and productivity stalls as a result. Leadership and employee trust are deeply connected; without one, the other cannot thrive.
That’s because leadership is so much more than sitting in a private office or making big phone calls. It’s about creating the kind of environment that brings out the best in everyone—it’s about people. And when people are unhappy, it doesn’t matter how successful a manager might be in attracting new business; they won’t last long without the support of a thriving workforce.
Lack of Individual Recognition
It can be difficult to get to know each and every employee on a personal level—perhaps there are many, some working remotely or even in separate, international offices. But regardless of the circumstance, the odds that you’re working with a team of human duplicates is very low (impossible, in fact)!
Each employee, at every level of business, brings their own individual resources, talents, behaviors, and personal needs. When these differences are disregarded, it can breed collective tension, distrust, and even resentment. Everyone wants to feel seen, and managers who don’t understand this will quickly lose favor.
Employee recognition is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for building trust and engagement. By fostering individual empowerment and seeing each person’s unique value, managers can strengthen workplace relationships and prevent a loss of trust in management.
Leadership and employee trust: Lack of Mentorship
Not only does a lack of individual recognition lead to collective tension—when individuals lack the correct support and mentorship, valuable talent and potential often go untapped.
Mentorship at work is a key driver of employee fulfillment and growth. Empowered individuals are emboldened to take ownership, go the extra mile, and as a result, feel more fulfilled. A team of empowered individuals is far more likely to collaborate, act dynamically, and achieve their goals.
When managers don’t have the time to empower, enable, and energize their employees, all the benefit of hiring unique and talented employees in the first place becomes wasted.
Individual empowerment is essential for the success of people and organizations in the future—but without leaders who prioritize and put it at the top of their agenda, it simply isn’t possible. Learn more about mentorship and empowerment for sustainable team performance.
Focus on Productivity — But at What Cost?
Naturally, with success comes more opportunities for success. This is sometimes how managers get caught up in a cycle of demanding more and more productivity from their workers without taking the proper time to consider them as people.
Unlike machines, people work most effectively when they feel happy and fulfilled. It’s about Productivity AND Happiness—the happier we feel, the more productive we become, and vice versa. When managers fail to understand people in this way, it can only lead to decreased productivity and a lack of trust. After all, to not understand people is to not understand business.
Without the proper solution in place to make sure that everyone gets what they need, managers may find their employees lose faith in their leadership—or perhaps, that they lose their employees altogether.
Discover more about the connection between Productivity AND Happiness and how it impacts engagement and retention.
