By Deo Mwano
One of the most common dynamics we see in organizations is this: the obvious thing that should happen between managers and employees—consistent, honest, two-way communication—often doesn’t happen. And when it doesn’t, employees become hesitant to be forthcoming about how things are truly going for them and their teams.
When I speak with managers and directors, many are genuinely unaware of the negative impact they may be having on their teams through the way they show up. They often generalize or overemphasize the positive behaviors they expect from employees, without holding themselves to the same level of self-awareness. Their sense of how employees experience them is usually based solely on their own perspective.
At DMC, we work closely with management teams and frontline employees across a wide range of sectors—operations, healthcare, retail, government agencies, and more. Some of these organizations have partnered with us for more than five years. We know their cultures well. We’ve coached leaders, facilitated workshops, and conducted annual or biannual climate and culture surveys that explore leadership approach, appreciation, direction and guidance, professional development, accountability, advancement, and more.
Our experience is extensive and deeply grounded in real, day-to-day workplace dynamics. And consistently, we see managers rating themselves highly in areas related to leadership presence, communication, and culture-building. But when we ask how they validate those assumptions, their responses are often one-sided. Many do not have any regular mechanism—weekly, biweekly, or even monthly—to gather feedback from the people they lead.
This is where the problem lies:
You cannot assume you’re an effective manager based solely on your own point of view.
You must actively engage your team on a consistent basis, asking specific questions about how your approach is landing and how they perceive you.
These feedback loops can be difficult. Constructive feedback is uncomfortable, and many managers become defensive when employees share honest reflections. But hearing this feedback in real time is essential. Even when what employees share may not be entirely accurate, it gives you an opportunity to clarify intentions, correct misunderstandings, and ensure your actions aren’t left to interpretation.
And when employees’ feedback reveals genuine gaps, you gain clarity on what to adjust, and how to show up in ways they experience as supportive, aligned, and trustworthy.
This does not mean compromising performance standards or becoming “soft” for the sake of approval. It means finding a balanced approach grounded in:
Listening well
Seeking feedback regularly
Co-creating solutions
Releasing autonomy
Trusting your team
If these practices do not currently exist within your management style, start small. Choose one or two areas to improve over a set period of time. Along the way, ask your team how it’s going. As they provide feedback, communicate clearly about business priorities while also showing them where your approach is evolving. Give them ownership in areas where their proactive engagement is essential.
Improving your team’s perception of your leadership isn’t superficial—it’s fundamental. It’s how you build a culture where employees not only work hard, but also feel safe sharing concerns early, before small issues become costly problems.
Your employees must be part of the process. That means consistently asking for feedback and co-creating aspects of the culture where shared ownership makes sense.
For example:
If your email tone feels demoralizing or impersonal, you need to know so you can adjust.
If your meetings feel hostile and even your open invitations for feedback fall flat, you need to know.
If your team hesitates to voice concerns—and your projects frequently require major revisions after launch because issues were never surfaced—this is a sign your approach needs attention.
These scenarios appear regularly in our coaching and listening sessions. They are not isolated. They are widespread.
Managers who intentionally develop feedback loops, self-awareness, and shared ownership build cultures of trust, transparency, and high performance. Those who don’t often find themselves wondering why their teams aren’t communicating—unaware that the silence is about them, not the team.
The DMC Workforce Success Team has more than 20 years combined experience and provides sustainable solutions to the complex social issues that affect large, medium or small businesses. Building authentic relationships is at the heart of DMC’s work, developing trust and honesty with employees to get to the root of issues and include them in the design of solutions.