Page 96 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

Steering the Ship and Inspiring the Crew C83

assets rather than liabilities, it will never be a great place to
work.”

Positive Comments
Yet when senior leaders do show they value and care about employ-
ees and their development, the positive effects are obvious, real, and
emotionally powerful—as evidenced in several striking comments we
came across:

: “ABC Company is really a great place to work. . . . If I have a
problem, I feel confident going directly to one of the managing
partners because I know they truly care. They know who I am and
are always willing to help in any way.”
: “Overall, I feel valued every day. This is the best workplace I’ve
ever been a part of. It’s also important to point out that the man-
agement team goes out of their way to know all employees person-
ally. They always stop by and ask how things are going or even
to ask for advice. Actually, hardly a day goes by when the CEO
doesn’t stop by. It’s reassuring to know they all really care about me
and want to get to know me better.”
: “They make sure that our work stations are comfortable and that
our equipment is in top shape and updated on a very regular basis.
The atmosphere with the leadership is very open and casual, and
one feels free to talk to or even e-mail the CEO, knowing they will
receive a personal reply. Quite unusual!”

The positive impact of such senior leader behavior on direct man-
agers and supervisors can only serve to have a cascading effect on the
engagement of employees throughout the organization.

Theme G: Feelings of Being Coerced by Fear, Control, and Intimidation
Unfortunately, many senior leaders rule rather than lead, and be-
cause their employers have always tolerated their harsh behavior, they