Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh explains why employees leave companies, internet agrees ‘hard but…’; her post goes viral

Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh recently outlined the types of managers while elaborating on her deep experience in employee-manager relationships over the years.  Taking to her LinkedIn post, the Shark Tank India fame explained how employees don’t leave companies, but managers. The 36-year-old co-founder of the beauty and skincare company’s post has gone viral, garnering over 5000 reactions, 600 comments and 100 reposts. 

In the post, Alagh talked about how day-to-day experience with managers pushes employees to quit the company. “Employees don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Across industries and organisations, this statement is one of the most-quoted truths in leadership for a good reason. Great talent rarely quits because of work or the company’s mission. More often, it’s the day-to-day experience with their managers that shapes whether people stay, grow, or walk away,” she wrote. 

Alagh points out 8 types of managers detrimental to employees

Alagh went on to share her observations while building her own brand. “Having observed hundreds of teams in the initial stage of many startups and especially while building my own brand, one thing that stands out is that certain management styles can quietly push even the best employees out the door. With bullet points, she mentioned the eight types of managers that negatively impact high performers in the industry. They are: ‘Micromanagers, The Credit Taker, The Ghost, The Volcano, The Information Hoarder, The Never Satisfied, The Favoritist and The Risk-Free Boss. 

She continued, “In my own way, I have distinguished 8 types of managers that high performers find hardest to work with. The Micromanager: Oversees every small detail, leaving no space for trust or autonomy. The Credit Taker: Quick to celebrate wins, slow to share recognition. The Ghost: Hard to reach, offers little support or feedback. The Volcano: Temperamental, making consistency impossible for teams.
The Information Hoarder: Keeps knowledge closed off, stalling team growth. The Never-Satisfied: Raises the bar constantly, rarely acknowledges progress. The Favoritist: Focuses energy on a select few, often sidelining others. The Risk-Free Boss: Shies away from innovation, limiting new ideas and growth.” 

“If organisations want to strengthen culture and retention, the conversation can’t stop at perks or policy. True retention is built on trust, respect, and everyday leadership moments. What kind of leadership have you personally seen make the biggest difference, inspiring you to stay, or pushing you to move on?” she concluded, sparking open discussion on the employee-manager relationship. Most of the users agreed and praised Alagh’s ‘well-articulated’ explanation. 

Internet reacts

A user shared, “So well-articulated. Ghazal Alagh I’ve noticed that high performers don’t just want recognition — they want purpose, challenge, and autonomy. But when leadership becomes about control, ego, or favoritism, even the most passionate team members start checking out emotionally long before they resign.” Another user commented, “Well said, Ghazal Alagh. While this may be hard for toxic managers to accept, it's a much-needed antidote — one that has a lasting impact across the professional lifespan.”