It is a fact widely known but seldom acknowledged that many managers hold their positions for reasons other than their management skills.

Because management positions often are treated as promotions, individuals may become managers due to their subject matter expertise, as a reward for past performance, because they are good at managing their own work and responsibilities, or because they get along well with members of the executive team. Others with little hands-on experience are hired as managers because they have a management degree.

Whatever the reason, these individuals often find themselves struggling in their new role, for which they are not properly equipped. Consequently, the employees who work under them struggle as well. Leaders need to take the initiative and get these managers the help they need to do their job well — for their sake, the sake of their employees and the sake of the company.

While there are many capable and talented managers and some truly outstanding ones poor performance is a common complaint of managers from both employees and executives. According to the Gallup organization, which has extensively studied the problem in companies worldwide, a "disturbingly" high percentage of managers are not meeting the needs of their employees.

For the teams and individuals who work with these managers, says Gallup, "work more often is a source of frustration than fulfillment." The cost to the company can be substantial.

"Teams with low engagement are less productive, less profitable and less likely to be loyal," Gallup's research finds. "This lack of loyalty to the company can cause turnover, which can cost businesses approximately 1.5 times the annual salary of every person who quits."

Gallup found managers most often struggle for one or more of the following four reasons:

  • lack of knowledge of how to perform their new duties
  • lack of belief in the leadership's direction or the need to engage with employees
  • lack of talent and/or people skills
  • work environment or systemic barriers that are keeping them from doing their job properly (such as a lack of adequate resources, lack of leadership support, or internal competition or lack of cooperation)

Yet the more common approach to dealing with poor-performing managers is to establish a performance plan to refocus them on their goals, objectives and financial targets — in effect, to treat the symptom rather than the disease. In some cases this "wake-up call" may be enough to motivate the individual into taking steps to change his/her behavior or seek help outside of the workplace.

On the hand, it can rebound, leaving the individual floundering and placing blame on his/her employees rather than addressing his/her own needs. In such cases, it is only a matter of time before the individual quits or is dismissed, at substantial cost to everyone concerned.

Ingrained in many corporate cultures is the belief that high-performing individuals do not need and do not want guidance or advice from others, including their bosses. Gallup's research reveals this assumption is misplaced.

When leaders see signs of trouble, such as a sudden drop in a manager's or team's performance, they need to investigate and intervene. They need to have a frank discussion with the manager and members of the team to determine the source of the problem, and then provide the necessary help, whether in the form of additional resources or training or coaching for the manager.

Together, the leader and the manager need to develop a plan for improvement that is both realistic and achievable one that takes into account skill building, not just fulfilling corporate goals and objectives.

Two ways companies can help prevent such situations are

  • developing alternative career paths that offer high-performing employees opportunities for promotion other than management positions
  • screening management candidates more thoroughly on the skills, experience and qualities necessary to perform well in that role

Both managers and employees will benefit.