Employee Surveys – Poor Leadership or unclear expectations

BLOG SERIES PART 3/5

Employee Surveys: Stress or a Path to Development?

“POOR LEADERSHIP” – OR UNCLEAR EXPECTATIONS?

When managers are left in the dark and employees feel overlooked

In the first parts of this series, we explored how mistrust shapes workplace culture (Part 1) and why many feel that “nothing happens” after the survey (Part 2).

Now we turn to one of the most sensitive and commonly misunderstood parts of any employee survey: the assessment of leadership.

It is an area where tension often arises – but also one where small changes can create meaningful impact.

When “poor leadership” appears – what does it really mean?

As a former HR Director and now leadership coach, I’ve seen how emotionally charged this phrase is.

For employees, it can mean:
“My manager doesn’t see me.”
“We only hear criticism, never appreciation.”
“I don’t know what’s expected of me.”
“Everything changes constantly.”

For managers, it often means:
“I’m trying my best… but I don’t know what people expect from me.”

So we end up with two parties wanting the same thing, yet interpreting each other through completely different filters.

Why averages mislead us

Many managers receive a result such as:
“Leadership: 3.2”

Some gave a 5.
Some gave a 1.
Others landed somewhere in between.

But what does 3.2 actually tell us?
Or the 1s and the 5s?

Nothing about why.
Nothing about what is needed more — or less.
Nothing about the needs behind each rating.
Nothing about who needs what.

An average is a thermometer — but not a map.

The most common reasons behind dissatisfaction with leadership

It’s rarely “poor leadership” itself that is the core issue.
Much more often, it’s unspoken or misaligned expectations.

Here are the five themes I see most frequently:

Lack of clarity in everyday work
Employees miss direction, priorities and structure.
Lack of relationship and presence
The manager is busy, stressed, or physically present but mentally elsewhere.
Mixed or confusing communication
The manager believes they are being clear — but the message lands differently with each person.
Too little feedback — both positive and constructive
Not out of reluctance, but because the manager isn’t sure how to give feedback in a way that resonates.

Different personalities, motivations and needs

What feels clear to one person may feel completely unclear to another.

Where everything shifts: when the manager dares to be genuine and curious

In the teams I’ve worked with, trust has grown the fastest when managers:

ask for open and honest feedback
• make time for individual conversations
• reflect on their own leadership and development
• dare to show themselves as human

When managers take the first step, something powerful happens:
The team stops judging — and starts sharing.

Practical solutions – moving from “poor” to clear, safe and growth-oriented leadership

1. Create individual dialogues — with time and genuine interest

Questions that open meaningful conversations:

How do you prefer to receive information — verbally, in writing, detailed or concise?
• How does my feedback land for you? How would you like to receive it?
• What do you need from me to perform at your best?
• What would you like me to do more of? And less of?

There is no “one size fits all” in leadership.

2. Use SDI to tailor your leadership so it actually lands

SDI helps us understand why people react as they do — and what they need in communication, feedback and leadership.

Here is a clear and practical description of the four core motivational drivers:

If someone is motivated by People (BLUE):

They value care, trust and relationships.
As a leader:
• start with the relationship — small talk with genuine interest
• show appreciation
• explain how decisions affect people

For them, clarity feels like care.

If someone is motivated by Results (RED):

They value speed, goals and clear decisions.
As a leader:
• keep it brief and concrete
• focus on goals, outcomes and next steps
• avoid long explanations or unnecessary detail

For them, clarity equals respect.

If someone is motivated by Structure (GREEN):

They value facts, logic, order and predictability.
As a leader:
• be detailed and precise
• offer background information and supporting documents
• walk them through the rationale, process and sequence

For them, structure is safety.

If someone is motivated by Perspective & Flexibility (HUB):

They value understanding the bigger picture and contributing to it.
As a leader:
• provide context, alternatives and reasoning
• include them in the thinking
• emphasise collaboration and flexibility

For them, motivation comes from participation.

Do I really have to change my way of speaking?

A manager once asked me during a training:
“So does this mean I must learn new languages and change how I speak?”

No. You don’t have to.

But if you want your message to be heard…
if you want engagement…
if you want people to feel seen and understood…

Then it’s not a “must” — it becomes something you want to do.
Because when communication lands well, everything else gets easier: collaboration, trust and results.

3. Do a 360-feedback — and share what you learn

A manager who dares to look inward builds trust.

Share openly:
• what you are working on
• what you want to develop
• what you have learned
• what you need from the team to grow as a leader

This creates an open, development-oriented culture.

4. Be present — genuinely and in everyday moments

Leadership is not “lots of meetings” or a tightly packed calendar.
Leadership is presence — even in a busy environment.

A real example from my time as an HR Director

I used to say:
“My door is always open.”

It sounded good.
But it very rarely led to spontaneous conversations.

Something entirely different happened when I regularly left my desk, walked around, and met people where they were.

With genuine interest, I asked:
“How are you today?”
“What are you working on right now?”
“Is there anything you need?”

Often someone would later come to my office and say:
“When you walked by and asked… it made me think of something I’d like to talk about.”

This taught me something important:
Presence is not created by an open door — but by an open attitude.

It is in these small, authentic moments that trust and culture are formed.
And proximity can be created even when physical distance is large.

5. Address issues immediately — honestly and fairly

A confident leader does not sweep problems under the rug.

They address:
• conflicts
• misunderstandings
• unhelpful behaviours

early — clearly, respectfully and consistently.

When people feel:
“My manager acts fairly, predictably and takes responsibility,”
trust rises throughout the team.

The outcome: from “poor leadership” to leadership that genuinely cares

When:
• expectations are clear — in both directions
• communication reaches people
• relationships are strengthened
• the manager dares to be human
• development is shared

… then the term “poor leadership” disappears from surveys and corridor conversations.

Not because anyone has become perfect.
But because everyone has become more courageous, curious and authentic.

Did you miss the earlier parts?

Part 1: Mistrust, confidentiality and the “us vs. them” mindset
Part 2: “Nothing happens anyway” – or does it?

Up next:

Part 4 – “We want more positive feedback!”

Why managers feel they give plenty — while employees often experience the opposite.
And how to give feedback that feels authentic, personal and meaningful.

Feel it’s time to take the next step in your leadership or personal growth?

Book a FREE introductory session through our website — let’s explore how we can support your development.

If you want to continue developing, here are three opportunities:

– We offer individual coaching tailored to your needs.
– Our next coaching programme starts already in January.
– You can certify as an SDI Facilitator and strengthen your ability to understand, lead and communicate across different motivations.

You are warmly welcome to get in touch.

Christine shares her thoughts on coaching, leadership, and life.

Christine Suvanto, ICF MCC, has been working as a professional coach since 2012, with both individuals and groups, privately and in companies internationally. Executive, Business, Career, Life – Christine supports and challenges you to develop. She trains, coaches, and also serves as a mentor coach both in Finland and globally (WBECS). She also utilizes the SDI tool (Strength Deployment Inventory) in communication, conflict management, and development tasks.