The Best Way to Confuse Your People

We follow the example of a leader more so than we follow their instructions. If the example the leader is setting is aligned with what they are telling their employees to do, people tend to fall in line quickly. However, when what the leader is demonstrating does not align with what they are instructing, this causes chaos and resentment. The best way to confuse your people is to tell them one thing and then do another.

For example, if the expectation is that you should never be on your phone at work, but your boss is spending their day texting and scrolling through social media, then you might start to think that it’s not a big deal for you   to be on your phone. Maybe you start using your phone more and more until you get caught, and then your boss reprimands you for it. However, they still haven’t stopped using their phone every day. This sends conflicting messages to the employee.

I’ve talked before about how your actions often outweigh your intentions, but that proves especially true for leaders. You cannot hold someone else accountable for something that you yourself are not willing to do. This could mean following certain policies and guidelines, showing up to mandatory training days, participating in ongoing projects, etc. As a leader, you are setting the standard every day. That is not a responsibility that you should take lightly.

The problem that I think many organizations face is that once a person reaches a certain level, they start to think they are above having to do the things that got them to this point. They feel like they have “served their time” or “earned their way,” so now they can relax and do more of what they want. However, by not giving the same amount of effort or care in that new position, the individual is demonstrating that they care more about themselves and their title than they do about their work. This can lead to a number of problems for both the individual and the organization.

As someone with authority and influence, nothing should be beneath you. If anything, you should have a stronger commitment to accomplishing the mission and goals of the company, meaning that you will step in wherever is necessary. Leading by example is the easiest way to build a strong and successful team. Again, the best way to confuse your people is to tell them one thing and then do another. You must speak first with your actions and then with your words.

-Meghan Slaughter