Love Leadership Survey
This new landmark global study, commissioned by experienced executive leader, coach, author and speaker Margot Faraci, reveals a persistent and costly problem in the contemporary workplace: Fear is rampant among corporate leaders. The Love Leadership study surveyed nearly 2,500 respondents and the results are startling. Nearly one in three emerging leaders are motivated primarily by fear, contributing to a $36 billion (USD) drop in productivity in the U.S, $2.3 billion (AUD) in Australia, and £2.2 billion (GBP) in the U.K.
Productivity is negatively impacted by fearful leadership in a variety of ways, including anxiety, Imposter Syndrome, resentment, lack of work-life balance, fear of being wrong, anger, dissociation, pressure to demonstrate value, unwillingness to receive feedback, hesitancy to speak up, complacency, lack of motivation, and quiet quitting.
The ‘Love Leadership’ survey seeks to understand how these behaviors develop in corporate environments and set the foundations for a roadmap for overcoming them.
The study targeted managers ages 24 through 54, working in corporate offices with 500+ employees across the U.S., UK and Australia. It was conducted by First and First Consulting through Pollfish and captured 2,486 responses from August 25 through September 13, 2023, a statistically significant sample.
The Love Leadership study’s findings are enormously consequential for global businesses. An entire generation of leaders are dampening their organizations’ productivity and profitability, while creating a hostile environment for employees.
Without addressing the systemic lack of trust, collaboration and appropriate training, workplaces cannot hope to overcome the challenges they face today, including return to office and hybrid work. To break this cycle requires courage, self-awareness and honest communication..
The survey found that in the U.S:
Roughly one out of three emerging corporate managers are leading in fear, representing approximately 1.3 million professionals.
More than 41% of fearful leaders noticed a drop in performance from their teams while nearly 60% acknowledged their direct reports are ‘unhappy with their job.’
Fearful leaders favored stressful work environments, believing stress to be the most effective way to motivate their direct reports, with 39% ‘strongly agreeing’ stress can be positively harnessed.
The teams supporting these leaders bear the brunt of the stress, with 43% of leaders expecting their direct reports to handle unexpected situations.
These leaders lose sight of positive leadership styles amidst the chaos of their responsibilities, which leads to controlling behavior, including micromanagement. 53% are likely to suffer from decision fatigue as a result. It’s clear that fearful leadership damages the leader as much as their teams.
The study found fearful leaders are more common in the U.S. (36%), and, while there were still challenges in Australia (where 27% of leaders are fearful) and the U.K (23%), there were also solutions.
The survey found that U.K leaders have not been offered professional development opportunities, resulting in reduced confidence as they seek growth. This issue stems from the top, with 45% of those surveyed in the U.K. working for a micromanager and 43% having a hands-off manager.
However, U.K leaders recognize how fear-based leadership directly impacts the mental well-being of direct reports. They’re trying to find a balance between leading and remaining cognizant of the larger effect they have on their employees’ health. Forty-nine percent understand the mental toll of working in a corporate setting, while 50% believe productivity declines in a toxic work culture.
Leaders in Australia were found to be struggling with communication. Two in three attribute leadership failures to poor communication, while only 38% recognize the positive impact open communication will have on the team.
Fifty-one percent of fear-based leaders in Australia recognize how micromanagement impacts the team, yet 25% firmly believe stress can be harnessed for a positive impact.
But there are clear signs that Australian leaders are actively tackling the issue of fearful leadership. Australian fear-based leaders emphasize the importance of a positive work environment, showing interest in investing in love-based leadership practices to foster personal growth and team cohesion. Sixty-four percent are both keen on mentoring their direct reports and creating a positive culture of belonging.
Faraci plans to build on this research by raising awareness globally about this pandemic of fear in leadership, providing actionable solutions for leaders and employees to have better experiences and improve performance.