The Australian Institute of Management Leadership Survey also found that more than 72% of workers cited their leaders for poor communication skills and for lacking emotional intelligence. Workers rated their leaders 5.6 out of 10 overall.
Being a leader means “more than just a title,” said Ben Foote, CEO of AIM. “With ‘good’ and ‘excellent’ leadership revealed as a key driver of engagement, investing in leadership development will be pivotal in boosting the involvement and commitment of employees,” Foote said.
Slightly more than 35% of respondents said leaders need to work on communication, while 25.7% and 22.9% cited people management and leading by example, respectively, as skill sets that need improvement. Meanwhile, 48% said their leaders were somewhat or not at all well versed in exhibiting emotional intelligence, managing staff performance and creating a high-performance culture. “Leaders need to step their game up in showing empathy and understanding the needs of employees,” Foote said.