My management philosophy is that people want to do good work. They want to be useful and want the support they need to do good work. Oftentimes management is the obstacle in the way of their success. Even upper management and thought leaders (including C-suite) can be a hindrance.

Employees want to be supported with proper training. If a direct report is falling behind in metrics or measurable output, or even as straightforward as feeling unhappy or burned out, this is an indicator of ineffective management. These situations are an opportunity to make actionable changes that benefit the business, people leaders, and employees.

While these are oftentimes the causes of reduced employee performance, the solutions are straightforward. Treat people like people; give them the patience, respect, and proper training that they ask for and deserve. Be honored that they feel safe to confide in leadership without fear of retaliation.

We have all heard or felt these needs before. Do they need to take time off? Sure, no problem, just get the work done. Do they feel ill-equipped to complete a task and are honest with their needs? No problem, provide them with continuing education, from as small as online webinars, to providing a yearly education stipend. Do they feel more productive at home? Sure, let me know what equipment you need and I will comp it so you can properly do your work. Need more time to take care of your family? Sure, make use of flexible hours when needed, just get the work done. Do they feel under water? I will assign importance to tasks to organize what is priority and what can wait. Furthermore, examine the industry standard wage and benefits for the position they occupy and adjust accordingly.

This is how you foster loyalty: by understanding and respecting their needs. Taking these actions are a positive effort to reduce employee burnout and turnover, which ultimately are more costly to the business than low performance.

People want to do good work, and they want to feel useful, so let them and help them. Be the exemplary employer that applicants flock to apply to work for. Loyalty to a people leader is fostered through respect. I want to see my direct reports become better than me through mentoring and training. People never forget good managers.

As the saying goes: "people don't quit bad jobs, they quit bad managers". Because of my management theory, I have committed to embody the concept of a good manager, not just in the workplace, but also in collaborative efforts such as community volunteerism and interpersonal relationships. I am fortunate enough to have directly reported to an exemplary director during my time at Verizon, to whom I owe my thanks for being a role model on how to be an effective leader.

After all, we're people too.