Why our relationships with leaders and managers are critical

It is easy to underestimate how important leaders are to any organisation.

Whether you work for a for-profit company or a non-profit organisation, great leadership is going to separate the truly successful from those treading water.

Consequently, it is somewhat startling that many organisations don’t pay more attention to the critical role of leaders. After all, research shows that people leave and quit their managers more so than their roles or workplace. Even if your organisation is doing fantastic work right now, toxic leadership makes this unsustainable as their behaviour may cause your best employees to leave.

The Manager-Employee Relationship

Above the line leadership has a direct impact on improving the manager-employee relationship. Below the line behaviours—like public shaming and disrespect, unnecessary criticism, and even eye rolling—send obvious and subtle signals to your employees.

These signals trigger the brain stem making it harder for employees to concentrate. Even if those employees inherently enjoy their work, below the line leadership may force them to leave and take their great skills to other workplaces.

By contrast, above the line behaviours are energising and engage our executive brain to function optimally. They can take a high-performing team to brand new heights. Some of those above the line behaviours include positive feedback, appreciation, recognition, non-judgment and acceptance, the freedom to work without micromanagement, and the capacity to sit with uncertainty.

Above the line leadership is about empowering your colleagues. Sure, for some it may seem scary or uncomfortable to empower rather than micromanage your staff, especially if you are a perfectionist. At the same time, providing your colleagues with positive energy and autonomy substantially increases your chances of outperformance.

Exhibiting above the line leadership will help you build positive interpersonal relationships with your colleagues, making it far more likely that you’ll accomplish those goals together.

Promoting a Healthy Relationship

Clearly, our relationship with our leaders and managers is extremely important.

"When I talk to managers, I get the feeling they're important. When I talk to leaders, I get the feeling I'm important."

This quote from Alexander den Heijer supports the need to adopt this colleague-first attitude and exercise above the line leadership. Even if we don’t think of it as a priority, rest assured that our colleagues absolutely will.

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