Manager Support

Being driven by MANAGER SUPPORT means you excel when your supervisor or manager consistently demonstrates that they care about your success and your wellbeing. You thrive when you can maintain mutual respect and compatibility with your leaders. While this motive is called MANAGER SUPPORT, a manager or entrepreneur is just as likely to have this motive as anyone else. Whatever your role, you need the support of those above you; those you tend to follow or who influence you; or the person leading a current project or dimension of your work. You value leadership that sees you, believes in you, is available to you, and has your back. You may have this motive because being such a leader to your people is important to you. Inaccessible, aloof, punitive, incompetent, or highly critical bosses will, by default, sabotage your sense of work wellness, and your motivation. By the same token, you see an invested manager who takes an interest in your life and career as an influential part of your success. If they are just as interested in your long-term success as short-term, even better. When management trusts you, they reinforce your confidence. The more positive and stable your relationship with those above you, the more fulfilled you are and the better you engage and perform.

 You feel this motive being met when…

+ You have a positive, secure relationship with your manager, boss, or supervisor.

+ You feel trusted, empowered, and supported by management or those above you in your current position.

+ You see authority figures at your organization supporting your well-being and best interests, and you can trust that they want you to excel and succeed.

 This motive is at risk when…

– You do not have a positive relationship with management; they may not even know who you are. 

– Your relationship with your manager, boss, or supervisor is tense, negative, or insecure.

– You are reasonably sure that your manager likes or trusts you, but they are distant, unhelpful, or unsupportive.

A Work Wellness Check-In for MANAGER SUPPORT

1. Do I have a healthy relationship with my manager (a simple yes or no)? If I hesitate to answer quickly, why?
2. How available is my manager? How easy is it to talk to them, ask them questions, or receive feedback?
3. Do I communicate to my manager the support I am looking for?
4. When has my manager supported me in a meaningful way that I appreciated? Did I let them know it was impactful for me?
5. Do I experience being trusted by leadership at my organization? If I do not, have I demonstrated untrustworthy behaviors? What can I do to build trust?
6. How attentive are managers and supervisors to the realities of the work my colleagues and I perform each day? Are they “in touch” or “out of touch”? If they are “out of touch” is there a way to make them more aware and involved where needed?
7. Are managers in my organization given the resources, time and tools they need to manage most effectively?

8. If I don’t have a direct manager, do I value this motive because it’s made a positive difference when I have receieved strong MANAGER SUPPORT in the past? Do I strive to be a supportive leader to other peers?
9. Do I see my manager considering and advocating for employee interests (including my own)? Do I feel they care about our wellbeing?
10. Do I feel like my leaders manage with their employees’ needs and motives in mind?
11. Do I ask for more feedback when I need or want it? Do I ask for help when I’m struggling with something? If I do, does my manager support my needs?
12. Knowing my manager has finite time, what are one or two areas where I would like more proactive engagement from them? What does that kind of support look like? Can I communicate this with them? Are we on the same page?

13. How do I feel around my boss or manager? Do any of their attitudes make me uncomfortable? Do I feel like they have time to interact with me, or do they clearly consider other things priorities?
14. In an ideal situation, what qualities would my manager have? How many of those qualities do I see in the manager or supervisor I have now?
15. Do I know how to connect with my manager or supervisor? If I don’t, who can I ask about this, or what could I do to connect effectively?
16. Does my manager support my other 4 motives? Why or why not? Is this something I can influence?