Managers, You’re More Intimidating Than You Think

Managers need to accept that people see them as much scarier than they realize — and it’s hurting their businesses. The authors’ research found that while most managers can’t imagine that they’re intimidating to their teams, that’s actually a prime reason employees don’t speak up. Of course, there are times when managers might want to be perceived as scary by others, such as when they are in a contested negotiation or facing down behavior that’s unacceptable. But if employees are afraid to make their voices heard, engagement suffers, learning moments go unrecognized, misconduct goes unquestioned, and innovations go unrealized. The authors explain why you might be scary even if you don’t think you are — and how you can become more approachable.