by Sarah Green Carmichael
Every industry has leaders who see themselves not just as managers, but as teachers. And new research shows that approach strengthens not only the manager-employee bond, but also employee performance.
Sydney Finkelstein, a professor of management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, encourages leaders to approach their direct reports like teachers. As Finkelstein explains, being a teacher-leader means continually meeting face to face with employees to communicate lessons about professionalism, points of craft, and life. He says it’s easy to try and that teaching is one of the best ways to motivate people and improve their performance.