There has been so much talk about the engagement of workers: Are your employees "engaged" or not? But that's the wrong question. The key factor affecting employee engagement is the relationship employees have with their immediate supervisors. Therefore, the question you should be asking is this: Are your managers "engaged" or not? From our ongoing research, we have become convinced that too many of those in leadership positions - at all levels - are disengaged from their direct reports on a day-to-day basis. Too many leaders, managers, and supervisors are failing to lead, manage, and supervise.
Since 1993, RainmakerThinking Inc. has conducted ongoing research on the dynamics of supervisory relationships in the changing workplace. Late in 2002, we began to focus our research on an alarming pattern: We found that a huge preponderance of those in leadership positions, at all levels, were severely "under-managing" their direct reports on a day to day basis. We began to investigate this under-management condition as a "disease" afflicting the workplace.