People Don't Leave Companies, They Leave Bosses. Really?
We all hear this very frequently. HR folks love it and leadership consultants preach it. But I feel it's only half true.
September 7, 2024
People don't leave companies, they leave bosses. Really?
We all hear this very frequently. HR folks love it and leadership consultants preach it.
But I feel it's only half true.
I've been thinking about this after watching talent patterns across companies.
In large companies, yes, people absolutely leave their boss. Everything else is standardized, the processes, the benefits, the culture guidelines & even the coffee machine. Your boss is your only variable. Good boss = tolerable life. Bad boss = daily misery.
But in smaller companies? People leave the company itself. When you're in a 50-person startup, there's barely any separation between "the company" and "the boss." The founder's mood becomes the company culture. Their decisions directly shape your growth path. Their vision becomes your north star. The company's financial health affects your job security immediately.
Next time when you hear somebody saying "people leave bosses, not companies", lets ask them what size company are we talking about?
Context matters. Always has.
