Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
This article is based on the Future of Work Podcast episode “Leadership Blind Spots That Could Be Costing You Trust and Talent” with Matt Bertman. Click here to listen to the entire episode.
Leadership might be one of the most overused words in business, but few leaders stop to ask the most important question: what does leadership actually look like to the people being led?
That question sits at the heart of leadership expert Matt Bertman’s work. With more than 25 years of experience in HR and talent development at Indeed, Gentherm, Amerisure Insurance, and Pulte Home, Bertman has spent his career studying the disconnect between what managers think they’re doing — and what employees actually experience.
In a recent conversation on The Future of Work® Podcast, Bertman unpacked what he calls “leadership blind spots,” from overreliance on hierarchy to a lack of trust, empathy, and clear communication.
The findings from his research reveal a sobering reality: 60% of employees would fire their boss if they could.
The Problem with Traditional Leadership
Most leadership training still comes from a top-down perspective — written by executives, athletes, or politicians — but rarely through the eyes of employees. Bertman said that the challenges around leadership don’t discriminate across industries. But what’s missing is the employee’s point of view.
Before the pandemic, 44% of employees said they would fire their boss if given the chance. After COVID-19 altered workplace dynamics, that number jumped to 60%. The rise of hybrid and remote work may have exposed just how little connection and trust exist between managers and their teams.
Bertman said that many expected the pandemic to usher in a more empathetic, flexible era of leadership. Instead, many organizations have reverted—pulling back flexibility, tightening control, and, in some ways, undoing progress made during the crisis.
From Command to Empowerment
One of Bertman’s key insights is that hierarchy can stifle empowerment. He points to the lesson from It’s Your Ship, where a Navy captain broke rigid command structures by empowering his crew to make critical decisions — except, of course, for launching nuclear weapons.
In business, Bertman believes, the same principle applies. When employees have autonomy, they take ownership. When decisions must constantly flow up the chain, leaders get compliance — not commitment.
That trust begins with communication. Too often, leaders assume clarity where there is none. Tell 30 people to execute a project without context, and you’ll likely get 30 different interpretations.
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True leadership means providing meaning, not just direction.
The Trust Gap Between Managers and Employees
So why do so many leaders struggle to trust their people? Bertman says it often comes down to how managers are promoted. Many high performers are elevated into management because they excel at doing, not leading.
They’ve spent their entire careers being rewarded for individual achievement, and when they suddenly move into leadership, they don’t know how to stop “doing.”
That transition can be difficult, and without proper training, it leads to micromanagement, overcontrol, and frustration on both sides. Over time, trust breaks down, and so does engagement.
Feedback Is Broken, And Mostly One-Way
Feedback, in most organizations, still happens once a year. An annual review, maybe a passing “good job,” and little else. Bertman calls this the “drive-thru compliment” problem: fast, impersonal, and quickly forgotten.
He believes feedback should be specific, ongoing, and multi-directional. Employees should be invited to complete self-assessments and peer feedback, giving managers a fuller picture of how teams collaborate.
But most importantly, feedback should go both ways. Engagement is built through consistent, two-way dialogue, not surveys.
Treating Employees Like Adults
Too many leaders, Bertman says, communicate like parents talking to children, such as lecturing rather than listening. The result is predictable: employees respond in kind, and workplace conversations devolve into defensiveness and blame.
The antidote is treating employees as adults. That means addressing issues directly, asking questions before assuming, and creating space for employees to speak honestly.
Emotional Intelligence: The Leadership Skill That Can’t Be Automated
If there’s one skill that defines effective leadership today, it’s emotional intelligence. Leaders must be aware of their own emotions and how those emotions affect others.
That self-awareness, combined with empathy, builds trust faster than any policy ever could.
Authenticity is equally critical. Many employees tell Bertman their managers don’t really know them — not their motivations, challenges, or goals. Empathy doesn’t mean fixing people’s problems; it means understanding them.
The Future of Leadership Is Human
As organizations wrestle with AI, hybrid work, and evolving expectations, one message stands out: leadership is about connection.
Or as Bertman puts it, “it’s important to look back and see if others are still with you and along for that journey. And that even though you don’t see anybody necessarily in front of you, there’s a tremendous amount of responsibility behind you.”
