Sabotage ain’t just in the movies….

It’s in your workplaces.

Have you been on the receiving end of this nasty practice?

Harvard Business School released some interesting research by Zaman & Lakhani that underscores the importance of trust in the workplace:

• 30% of people have witnessed top-down sabotage in their current organization, where a manager sabotages the career advancement or work of a direct-report
• About 28% of people say they have been a victim of top-down sabotage
• Over their whole career, 71% of respondents say they have observed sabotage (but interestingly, only 5% of those folks admitted to doing it themselves)

“Intense competition in the workplace may lead managers to sabotage talented employees to protect their own job security.”

Further Zaman says, “When employees feel they work at an organization where there’s a sense of belonging, it substantially reduces the problem.”

So, what does this mean for you?

• Consider how your staff are compensated. If bonuses and incentives are all individually-based, you probably have a pretty competitive environment, which means that you peeps are less likely to truly collaborate and do what’s best for the org. How can you offer rewards for team performance? Think about it: if all that matters are my own numbers at the end of the quarter, why would I go out of my way to help Linda or Mike? If I feel that my job security is tightly bound to my numbers, I might be encouraged to, say, withhold valuable information, so Mike and Linda are on the chopping block.
• What’s the hiring process like? If I’m the one hiring, and I’m concerned about future competition from my subordinates, I might resist bringing on that dynamo candidate. I’m in protectionist-mode. You might want to have multiple people involved to ensure the best candidates are actually selected.
• After the dynamo is hired, how is their performance reviewed? Is this an open and transparent process? Employees must clearly know how they are assessed and they must consistently (and visibly) receive credit for their work. Nobody wants to work for a company where they aren’t appreciated for their work, or, where their manager takes the credit instead.

Basically, this research underscores that companies that have open communication, encourage and support collaboration and have transparency baked into their processes are less likely to be challenged by sabotage behaviors.

How likely are you to sabotage a teammate?

When I work with leaders and management teams, I like to get them thinking about how they *might* be getting in their own way, and actually leading by fear and scarcity.

Truly ask yourself:

1. How often do I ask for help? (Or, am I more likely to ‘do it all myself’ so I look smart?)
2. How do I handle failure? Am I level-headed and resilient, or do I mope, get frustrated with others or make excuses or blame?
3. How do I handle criticism? Do I immediately dismiss it, or hold a grudge with the feedback-giver?

These are a few questions that might help you see if your ego gets in the way of your leadership.

When we need to be right, are driven to ‘look’ good, and can’t honestly assess our own strengths and weaknesses, we aren’t leading as effectively.

Building trust in your team is imperative – especially these days, when people are looking for a better workplace experience than maybe they did years ago.

If you want to build a better workplace for yourself and your team, let me know and I can help.