The Inmates Are Running the Asylum!: Lessons About Workforce Behavioral Problems
“The inmates are running the asylum!” How often is this refrain echoed by frustrated managers struggling with widespread disrespect for their authority? Yet another familiar phrase, “We can’t let the tail wag the dog!” These phrases can be used to describe a variety of behavioral issues; from employees who fail to perform desired tasks, to those who make outrageous demands, to those who act in open defiance of company policy. The common thread that binds each of these situations is the reality that managers have lost control of the people they lead.
The general response that leadership often takes when faced with these behavioral problems is one of either flight or fight - the problems continue to go unaddressed, or a heavy hand is brought to bare. The latter is used when leaders feel they have lost the respect of their people, and it is time to show them who’s boss. If the problems with employee behavior stem from previously weak leadership and a lack of accountability, then such a heavy hand may do the trick; nevertheless, the problem may actually stem from other causes, in which case a disciplinary crackdown may ineffective - or even disastrous. Below are some of the alternative reasons that managers may feel they have lost control, and some of the possible solutions to these problems.
1. Mixed Signals
This is the most basic and common reason that a workforce may not be performing its desired duties; fortunately, it’s also the easiest to correct. Employees will frequently fail meet expectations when those expectations are not clearly communicated. This problem can be exacerbated further if tasks and expectations are assigned which directly contradict one another - managers ask for both A and B, despite the reality that it’s impossible to have both.
Communication is vital to effective management. In organizations where change is frequent, adjustments in policy and expectation must be effectively communicated and filtered down through the organization. Otherwise an employee may continue pursuing an obsolete agenda, unaware that the work he/she is doing is no longer relevant. The confusion created by a lack of communication will quickly erode morale, and may lead to other behavioral problems as employees become frustrated with their leaders.
Sometimes this confusion is less the result of miscommunication and originates instead from a strong disagreement between senior managers. Like Greek deities these managers may pursue conflicting agendas or even attempt to undermine one another. If an employee is told one thing by her boss, and then another by her boss’ boss, her futile attempts to appease these contradictory demands is likely to upset both of these individuals. In this case the inmates aren’t running the asylum; rather, the insanity is trickling from the top-down.
The solution to these problems is simple: managers must take responsibility for effectively explaining goals and expectations to their employees. Supervisors should also regularly review the daily tasks of their subordinates, and ensure that these individuals understand exactly what they should be doing. Finally, leaders need to listen to their people to verify that tasks and goals are not being assigned which are exclusive to one another. These steps will dramatically improve employee morale, and lead to greater compliance with company policy.
2. The Inmates ARE Running the Asylum
This can be bitter pill to swallow. Employees will sometimes misbehave and act like they run the company because they do run the company - or, more to the point, the company cannot run without them. This is a pretty simple scenario: a company requires a certain type of employee to function; this employee has a very specialized skill-set and is difficult to replace. Moreover, there is stiff competition in the job market for this particular type of employee. Such an individual has tremendous leverage in the company for which he/she works.
It’s not uncommon for these indispensable players to become prima donnas and expect to have the world handed to them on a silver platter. Like famous movie stars they make outrageous demands because they can. As a manager, you cannot reverse this situation until you break your dependence on this particular type of employee - but be careful! People aren’t stupid, and if your MVP’s begin to sense that you’re attempting to reduce their influence they are likely to use it in ways that you won’t appreciate. Like many problems in business and life, this scenario is much easier to avoid than it is to correct; when setting up a new business model be leery about leaning on irreplaceable labor.
3. Martyrs
Perhaps the fastest way to lose control of one’s employees is to create martyrs. Frequently, a business will encounter opportunities that require immediate action. This action may require the business to reallocate resources, which in turn may adversely affect the jobs of some of its valuable people. When these changes come without any warning it’s not uncommon for those affected to feel betrayed - they assert that they have been tossed onto the sacrificial altar, and that all the talk about how much the company values its people is nothing more than shallow nonsense.
It’s remarkable how much power these martyrs can wield within an organization. Previously devoted employees who’ve been burned by sudden change can damage company morale on a wide scale. As people gather at the watercooler, those who harbor similar gripes (justified or otherwise) will begin to hitch their personal complaints to the martyr’s experience for added legitimacy. This can be heard in statements like, “Did you hear about what they did to Bob? Management doesn’t care about us little people anymore - I’ve been having a lot of problems with my manager too…” Everybody’s complaint suddenly seems valid when placed next to a martyr’s suffering, and behavioral problems soon follow.
As you can imagine, many businesses strive to negate this fallout by seeking quick reconciliation with those adversely impacted by sudden change. Special compensation arrangements are made - sometimes new jobs are invented - to limit the damage suffered by those who are affected. Nevertheless, these arrangements may not go far enough to satisfy the injured employees and they begin demanding more. Thus, once again, the tail starts wagging the dog - executive authority is trumped by the moral authority of those who feel like victims.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution to this dilemma; executive managers must carefully compare all the potential consequences of any major policy shift. This means looking beyond the anticipated benefit and seeing the potential fallout that might occur on the home-front. It’s also important to note that if major changes become too frequent - if employees start feeling jostled about - it will become harder and harder to pacify them. Change is a constant in business, and it’s impossible for any manager to perpetually make decisions that benefit everyone; nevertheless, it may be better to relinquish certain opportunities when the probable fallout (e.g. the likelihood of creating martyrs) is sufficient to undo the anticipated benefit.
The wisdom to determine the true cause of widespread employee misbehavior is one of the hallmarks of true business leadership. Managers who exhibit this discernment will be far more successful in business and life than those who don’t. Perhaps the most important lesson to remember is that while the tail shouldn’t wag the dog entirely, it will always wag the dog a little - absolute control and authority are an illusionary goal without substance. By responding to the legitimate concerns and needs of their people, managers can maintain their authority and ensure employee compliance with company policy. Thus, sanity can prevail, and employees will behave in positive ways that negate any comparison to asylum inmates.
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July 1st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
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