The Set-up-to-Fail Syndrome: How Good Managers Cause Great People to Fail

Soundview Executive Book Summaries

The "set-up-to-fail" syndrome begins innocuously, with a small act such as missing a deadline. Once employees are cast (and often miscast) as "weak performers," they can do nothing right in the eyes of the boss. While the boss will see any miscues and setbacks as "confirmation" of his or her opinion of that employee, any of the employee's successes or proofs of high performance will be ignored. In response, the employee begins to live down to the boss's expectations, which, of course, only reconfirms those low expectations.

The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome unravels the biases, blinders and misperceptions on both sides of the boss-subordinate relationship and provides a way to interrupt the downward spiral of the set-up-to-fail syndrome.

A boss's job of meeting numbers and targets has grown more frenzied and complex. Bosses are responsible for working with project teams that span geographic boundaries, and they are also held to tougher performance targets in shorter time frames. They must also motivate and manage an increasingly mobile workforce. With evaluation systems tied to results as well as employee satisfaction, managers are torn between empowering employees and making sure they deliver on commitments.

The authors of The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome expected managers they studied would either be good or bad at this balancing act. Instead they found that bosses achieve the balance with some subordinates, but fail with others. Employees rated as "higher performers" felt that though targets were tough, they received encouragement and support. Employees rated as "weaker performers" did not feel the same levels of consideration, recognition or autonomy from the bosses.

Perceived weaker performers are not the best, but still perform above the firm's minimum threshold. Perhaps, however, they make a mistake early in their career at the company. As a result, a well-meaning boss gives more attention to the subordinate, who interprets the heightened supervision as a lack of confidence. The subordinate doubts his or her own thinking and ability, but the boss misinterprets the ensuing withdrawal as confirmation of weaker performance and intensifies involvement in the subordinate's affairs. The boss steers important and risky assignments away from the subordinate, and the frustrated subordinated retaliates by ignoring instructions and continuing to perform below expectations. Once people are miscast as weaker performers, they join in the syndrome themselves and live down to that image.

The boss's reaction to the subordinate behavior seems like common sense, especially if the underperformer truly cannot do his or her work. But often he or she just had a bad start, and the set-up-to-fail syndrome is compounded by the superior's behavior.

The syndrome ends up affecting the entire organization. Weaker performers share their misery with peers and their own subordinates. The boss's career development is at stake, because he or she appears unable to develop relationships with subordinates. The syndrome also affects productivity as HR personnel deal with people who quit or need to be transferred, and employees who feel bullied spend valuable time worrying about unresolved issues and taking more days off.

You may think that even if you do treat employees differently it is barely noticeable, but subordinates are very perceptive. Below are six indicators of a boss's true beliefs:

1. Unsolicited Advice. Bosses tend to give far too much advice to "lower performers," offering help without considering what the subordinate has already tried.
2. Disguised Directions. Bosses offer quick and forceful suggestions to weaker performers, imposing solutions with subtlety ("This is only a suggestion...").
3. Disregarded Ideas. Bosses often give no weight to or ignore ideas from weak performers while giving high performers supportive feedback and the chance to "try it their own way."
4. Response to Failure. Bosses are quicker to seize on the failures of perceived weaker performers, sometimes unfairly.
5. Response to Success. Weaker performers rarely receive positive reinforcing feedback. Bosses are often incredulous when there is nothing to complain about.
6. Harsher Style. A manager's style toward lower performers tends to be one of "presumption of guilt."

These clues do not just affect weak subordinates. People are extremely susceptible to impacts on self-confidence and motivation, both strong impacts on performance. In the face of these undercutting behaviors from a boss the desire to fight back has limits and is often short-lived.

In trying to escape the Set-Up-To-Fail syndrome, do not think it is necessary to treat all employees the same. Providing perceived weaker performers with more guidance up front is appropriate in a context that makes it easier for them to seek guidance and accept feedback. Consistent syndrome-busters have several ways to keep the boss-subordinate relationship on the right foot:

1. Frame the Relationship. Communicate frequently in the beginning of the relationship about priorities, performance measures and time allocation. Be explicit about your own work style, and what you like and don't like.
2. Develop Relationships. Spend one-on-one time with subordinates in the first few months listening to their needs and establishing a distinction between the person and the performance of the person, so that criticism of one does not seem like criticism of the other.
3. Resist Crude Labels. Do not categorize employees in simplistic ways and do not label prematurely, before a subordinate has time to improve.
4. Monitor Evaluations. Be careful about seeking, noticing, and remembering facts that confirm initial conclusions. Actively search for disconfirming evidence and alternate explanations.
5. Intervene Early. Do not wait to give feedback, because it compounds mistakes and makes it more of an adversarial situation instead of an opportunity to explore assumptions.
6. Share Responsibility With Subordinates. Invite subordinates to act as joint custodians of the boss-subordinate relationship; subordinates are also part of the set-up-to-fail syndrome, but may feel uncomfortable taking the first step to intervene.

Copyright © 2003 Soundview Executive Book Summaries