Managerial Missteps: Why Inconsistent Rules Tank Morale, According to Suzanne Lucas

In a recent LinkedIn post, Suzanne Lucas discusses a common yet damaging managerial pitfall: the inconsistency in applying rules, which can lead to significant morale issues within a team. Lucas recounts a specific scenario where a new manager’s rigid insistence on an unnecessary certification requirement for a role ultimately backfired, creating frustration among existing staff.

The Unnecessary Hurdle

The situation, as detailed by Lucas, involved a highly sought-after position that opened up. The new manager, despite Lucas’s counsel that the certification was not a prerequisite for success in the role and that strong internal candidates existed without it, insisted on this requirement. Lucas highlights the manager’s perspective, stating:

“She insisted. She said I was trying to violate her managerial authority by telling her not to include the certification requirement.”

This insistence, according to Lucas, created a barrier for capable internal employees. As Suzanne Lucas points out, the message was clear:

“Internal people who lacked the certification didn’t apply because she made it very clear they wouldn’t be considered.”

The Predictable Outcome

The ultimate irony, and the source of the ensuing morale problem, was the manager’s eventual hiring decision. Despite the stringent requirement, the manager ultimately hired an external candidate who also did not possess the specified certification. Lucas underscores the impact of this inconsistency:

“She ended up hiring an external person who (wait for it) also did not have the certification.”

While the new hire was competent, the existing staff’s reaction was one of anger, not towards the new employee, but towards the manager’s actions. Lucas explains the fallout:

“Now, this person can absolutely do the job. But the current staff is furious. Not at the new hire–they recognize it’s not her fault–but at the manager.”

The Core Lesson: Consistency is Key

Suzanne Lucas uses this anecdote to draw a critical lesson for managers and leaders. The fundamental issue, as she argues, lies in the establishment and enforcement of rules. When managers create requirements or policies and then fail to adhere to them, it erodes trust and damages employee morale. Lucas’s central thesis is straightforward:

“If you’re going to make a rule, you need to enforce it. Making a rule and then not enforcing it is incredibly damaging to your employees.”

This principle, according to Lucas, is paramount for maintaining a healthy and productive work environment. In her view, transparency and consistency in managerial decisions are not just best practices but essential components of effective leadership that prevent unnecessary workplace friction and disgruntlement.