Written by Uku Sööt
When people think about career progression, they usually focus on finding the right company, negotiating a better salary, or earning another qualification.
Those things certainly matter.
But ask people why they left a previous role, and you’ll often hear a different story.
They didn’t leave because the work was uninteresting.
They left because of the relationship with their manager.
Research has repeatedly shown that managers have an enormous influence on employee engagement. According to Gallup, managers account for around 70% of the variance in team engagement, making the relationship between an employee and their direct manager one of the strongest predictors of workplace satisfaction and performance.
The good news is that understanding this relationship can also help you build a more successful career.
Great managers don’t communicate with everyone the same way
One misconception about good leadership is that consistency means treating everyone identically.
In reality, effective managers recognise that different people respond differently to communication, feedback, and autonomy.
One employee may appreciate quick, direct feedback and clear decisions.
Another prefers understanding the reasoning before moving forward.
Someone else may need regular check-ins while learning a new role, whereas a more experienced colleague may value greater independence.
These differences don’t mean one person is easier to manage than another. They simply reflect different behavioural preferences.
Career growth depends on communication
Many people assume promotions are mostly determined by technical competence.
Competence is essential, but it rarely tells the whole story.
People who build strong careers also learn how to communicate with colleagues, influence stakeholders, resolve disagreements, and adapt to different personalities.
These are skills that become increasingly important as responsibilities grow.
Understanding behavioural differences can make those conversations easier.
Frameworks such as DiSC provide a practical way to understand why colleagues communicate differently and how you can adapt your own approach without changing who you are. If you’re unfamiliar with the model, this guide to behavioural communication styles offers a useful introduction.
Feedback is a two-way conversation
Many employees wait for their annual performance review to hear how they’re doing.
The strongest professional relationships usually look very different.
Employees ask questions.
Managers give regular feedback.
Both sides clarify expectations before misunderstandings become bigger problems.
If feedback feels uncomfortable, it’s often because people communicate differently rather than because either person has bad intentions.
Learning how your manager prefers to discuss problems, make decisions, or recognise good work can make these conversations considerably more productive.
Don’t expect your manager to know everything
Managers are under pressure too.
Many have been promoted because they were excellent individual contributors, not because they received extensive leadership training.
That means your manager may still be learning how to support different people effectively.
Rather than waiting for them to guess what works best, help them.
Share how you like receiving feedback.
Discuss your career goals.
Ask for examples instead of general comments.
These small conversations build trust over time.
Your next promotion starts today
Career development isn’t only about preparing for the next role.
It’s also about improving how you work with the people around you today.
Increasingly, organisations are helping employees continue these conversations beyond traditional training through workplace learning platforms such as Everything DiSC® Catalyst, where colleagues can compare communication preferences and prepare for real workplace interactions instead of relying on one-time personality reports.
Whether your organisation uses a formal framework or not, the principle remains the same.
People who understand themselves, communicate effectively, and build strong working relationships tend to create more opportunities throughout their careers.
Your manager will influence your career.
How you work with your manager may influence it even more.
Author Bio: Uku Sööt is a partner at DiSCprofiles.eu (an IPB Partners brand), where he works with HR leaders, trainers, and consultants on behavioral assessment-based learning, leadership development, and team effectiveness. DiSCprofiles.eu is an Authorized Partner for Wiley’s Everything DiSC® and The Five Behaviors® solutions, supporting organizations across Europe in building stronger communication, collaboration, and leadership capability.
