Latest news with #Schielke
CNBC
a day ago
- Business
- CNBC
Bosses, stop trying to flatter your workers, says leadership expert—it doesn't make them like you
Some bosses think flattering their employees is a good leadership tactic. Those bosses are wrong, says Jennifer Schielke. "Flattery is what I've seen from a lot of leaders," says Schielke, a leadership expert and CEO of Bellevue, Washington-based staffing and recruiting firm Summit Group Solutions. Bosses tend to throw excessive praise at their employees when they want everyone to like them, she says. But insincere compliments can come across as manipulative, like you have an ulterior motive. When someone is going above and beyond at work, they probably deserve some authentic praise and appreciation. But leaning on flattery too much points to "insecurity" and a lack of leadership skills, says Schielke. "I just don't see any benefit of it, truly." You probably know when a boss is giving empty compliments. Say you realize you did a poor job executing a project, but your boss tells you they were really impressed with it. Or they constantly compliment your skills, to the point where it feels disingenuous. "Leading doesn't have to be a popularity contest," says Schielke. "It's really investing in employees, being kind and addressing the hard stuff, too." Most workers do tend to like a boss who's a "people person" — someone who enjoys having genuine interactions with others, and uses soft skills like empathy, compassion and communication to create an inviting workplace culture — according to workplace culture expert Tom Gimbel. "The more authentic you are, the more people are going to connect with you and enjoy your company," Gimbel told CNBC Make It in April 2024. Schielke likes to dedicate certain days of the week to a team-building exercise, she says, like "Tell Me About Yourself Tuesdays," where employees spend minutes, or sometimes hours, discussing subjects that are important to them. Her company also has "Wacky Wednesdays," where she assigns quirky topics to her employees, who then present a workshop, training module or a simple moment of comedic relief about them, she adds. Instead of unduly flattering employees, you can make them feel valued at work simply by paying attention to their perspectives and needs, Schielke says. If your particular workplace craves hybrid work, employee resource groups or volunteer opportunities — simple policies that you have the power to grant — you'd do well to listen, she notes. These efforts are "very, very meaningful and valuable" to employees, says Schielke, no matter the business.
CNBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Nearly 50% of employees say their boss doesn't understand them or their job—how to fix that, CEO says
A lot of employees feel disconnected from their bosses and managers, and it's putting a real damper on workplace morale. Forty-six percent of employees across the U.S. say their bosses only somewhat or rarely understand their contributions at work, according to the April 2025 Workplace Perception Gap Survey from HR platform The Predictive Index, which sampled 1,000 workers across different industries, age groups and job levels. Nearly half (44%) of surveyed employees said they've been passed over for raises and big projects because someone misconceived their skills or habits at work. And 48% said bosses and managers regularly underestimated their it comes to the root of this misalignment, "I think there are three things to really look at, and that's clarity, investment and connection," says Jennifer Schielke, author, leadership consultant and CEO of Summit Group Solutions, an IT staffing firm. Each new generation entering the workforce brings different perspectives and expectations, sometimes making it difficult for bosses and their employees to see eye-to-eye, Schielke says. And when you don't invest time into building your workplace relationships and professional network, you'll lack the connections you need to feel heard and understood. Both employees and bosses can work to strengthen bonds in the office, says Schielke. Here's how. Your boss isn't a mind-reader, so when you feel misunderstood, overlooked or have questions that haven't been answered, speak up, Schielke says. Try asking your boss or manager for advice instead of feedback to get more authentic, actionable responses, Wharton organizational psychologist and bestselling author Adam Grant told CNBC Make It on February 11. If you feel like your boss doesn't understand how hard you work, for example, you might ask something like: "I want to make sure that I'm prioritizing work that matters most to you. Can you help me understand what you think should be top of mind?" Successful people use this tactic to cut through flattery and "potentially demoralizing" critiques, both of which are unhelpful, Grant said. Leaders set the tone for workplace culture, and you'll benefit from going out of your way to make sure your workers feel like they belong, according to Schielke. Consider some short "engagement activities" — a coffee hour, a round of trivia, icebreaker questions before meetings — to learn more about your team and how they like to work, Schielke says. At her own workplace, Schielke ditches her title. Her employees know she's the boss, but she doesn't want the CEO title to intimidate people from having real, authentic conversations with her, she says. "We don't want it to be an environment where people are thinking, 'I can't talk to the CEO,'" says Schielke. "I'm just a person. Titles are important externally, but [in the office], I can sit down and work alongside you."
