People Don’t Want Perfect Managers. They Want Managers Who Listen

Over the years, it has been my observation that organizations invest a lot of effort in trying to find “great managers.”

Great managers should be credentialed, experienced, have leadership abilities, and above all, should deliver results.

However, there is one thing that often gets overlooked, being able to listen.
Employees do not need their managers to be omniscient, solving every problem with an answer.

All they want is to be heard.
The manager who will listen when an employee tells him that he is having problems.
The manager who will ask questions instead of making assumptions.
The manager who will take the feedback of his employee despite the fact that it might be embarrassing.

And most importantly, a manager who will realize that the employee needs a discussion sometimes, not an order.

From the point of view of talent management and HR consulting, this has its direct impact on employee engagement.
Someone might join an organisation for the position, salary, or the brand. However, it is the relationship with their direct supervisor that will define if they are staying and giving their best or not.
That is why I believe that in leadership recruiting, one has to go beyond credentials and achievements.
In assessing a potential leader, I would want to learn about how they relate to people around them.
Do they listen when someone disagrees with them?
Do they conduct tough conversations without turning them into personal ones?
Do they let their team members talk?
And most importantly are they ready to reconsider their opinion when someone provides another point of view?
Because the key point about leadership is not in being the loudest person in the room.
It lies in creating a safe space where people feel comfortable speaking up.

The best managers I have ever met are not necessarily the ones who know everything and can say something smart.
They are the ones who know when to stop and start listening.
For an organisation where employee retention, workplace culture, and talent development are key, such a soft skill cannot be ignored, sometimes all that is needed to