Managing Employees Without Fear

Reflect on which of these five manager types you most resemble.

Each year, US companies contend with employment-related legal action costing hundreds of millions of dollars. Companies face employment disputes for myriad reasons: communication breakdowns; inadequate leadership training; failures to involve HR; and a lack of compliance with the law and/or company policy. Factors contributing to employment-related disputes include the decline, over the past half-century, in union membership, the COVID-19 pandemic and polarizing societal debates and divides.

When you manage employees without fear, you can navigate difficult situations, secure that your decisions are lawful and appropriate.

To be a fearless manager, consider which of the following five categories of manager – archetypes of American high school students – you most resemble:

• Student council president – You’re an effective, hardworking leader whom employees and superiors appreciate. You read employee handbooks, make the right choices, accurately assess others and have confident judgement.
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