Who Signs Your Check?

When I was a baby lawyer, in my first real job, I visited my parents and shared my worries about work. Someone at work was creating some difficulty for me and I was freely sharing my anxiety about it. My dad, ever patient, listened to my complaints. When I finished, he asked me a simple question:

"Does that person sign your check or fix your dinner?"

I admitted they didn't. "Then let it go," he said.

That advice has stuck with me ever since. My dad was teaching me something crucial about energy management and priorities. Life is too short to spend emotional capital on people and situations that don't directly impact your wellbeing or success.

But his question also held a deeper insight: the person who signs your check or approves your timecard, your manager, is one of the most important people in your life. And if you're a manager yourself, you need to understand the weight of that responsibility.

This isn't hyperbole. Gallup's extensive research consistently shows that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores. Your manager shapes your daily experience at work, influences your career trajectory, affects your mental health, and even affects your relationships outside of work.

A great manager makes you want to show up. They challenge you to grow, advocate for your success, and create an environment where you can do your best work. A poor manager can make Sunday nights unbearable and Monday mornings feel like a prison sentence.

Think about your own career. Chances are that your best work experience includes having a great manager. And your worst? Well, we've all been there too.

If you're a manager, this reality should give you pause. You're not just overseeing projects and approving timecards. You're impacting lives in real and meaningful ways; people rely on their job and your work to feed their families and pay their bills. You also directly affect their confidence, their skill development, and their future opportunities. You decide whether that impact is a positive or negative one.

Being a manager isn't just a title or a step up the corporate ladder. It's a profound responsibility to show up for the people who depend on you. So, manage like it matters. Because it does.