The Employee Leadership Disconnect

A vast majority of business leaders today are out of touch with their very own employees. This propagates every negativity imaginable.

Too many businesses have failed because of intra-organizational communication, and too many are now turning to transparency measures yet again, in the hope that it will be better this time. But only a select few CHROs are striking the problem at the heart, the leadership-employee disconnect.  

Business leadership is not just a magic wand that can be waved to command subordination. It is an art of communication and leading by example, and more often than not, it is a matter of trust. As a recent research revealed, 33% of employers do not trust their employers.   

The key, as suspected, lies in the disconnect between the lack of communication and transparency, not really helped in situations where the CHRO doesn’t step in and ensure rectification.  

What is clearly lacking, as a recent HBR article points out, is that leadership development is still largely traditional and orthodox in the way it is planned, administered and managed, while the workforce who are expected to be led, have changed drastically. Add to this fact that the new age leader has to face an average of two technology disruptions every year, and it begins to fall in place.  

The CHRO, in such cases, need to encourage the leaders to lead through experience, not just their work, but also their experiences from mentors and those lived-through in the leadership development program period.  

The onus on leadership succession planning is on the board in conjunction with the CHRO. The CHRO needs to be the representative of the employee, in such scenarios, and firmly convey the specific challenges of the workforce to any potential leader. Only then will he be a true strategic talent management partner to the business.