In Box: Employees want managers to talk… and listen

Managers who clearly communicate with their employees about their organisation’s performance and prospects head Leadership Management Australasia’s annual Top 5 Characteristics of Good Manager list, as viewed by employees.
With honest feedback on personal performance close behind, the top three characteristics all focus on communication.
LMA’s 2012 Top Five is:
1. Clearly communicates where we are going(=2 in 2011)
2. Gives honest feedback on how I am going (5 in 2011)
3. Listens to/respects my input into decisions (4 in 2011)
4. Is fair and even-handed/makes reasonable demands (6 in 2011)
5. Trusts me with challenging work (10 in 2011).
Last year’s number one “Is trustworthy and open in approach” and equal number two “Gives me the space to do my work, but supports me” have fallen out of the Top 5 to seventh and sixth respectively while “Trusts me with challenging work” has climbed five rungs on the ladder.
“Having sense of humour” is one of the big improvers outside the Top Five, moving from 14th to eighth.
More than 4200 employees across Australia and New Zealand participated in the research, conducted through LMA’s Leadership Employment and Direction (L.E.A.D.) Survey by Chase Research. The research was conducted over six months, closing October 31, 2012. M