I am serving as a steward in my Church, and something about leadership shone a light on one Sunday.

First, let me gives you the hierarchy-structure – there is a senior leader, with 2 assisting leaders, 9 section leaders, and finally, of course, the stewards. And our leaders will always remind us to use our initiative to serve the congregation. I were in-charge of one door, which is meant for exit, not for entrance, this is to control the flow of the congregation and my section leader would always come to ensure that the door is closed for entrance, and I will open for people exiting. This I have been doing since the day I was put in-charge, which is more than a year.

On this particular Sunday, one of the 2 assistant leaders came to me and asked me to open that door for people to go in; I was puzzled and explained that this is an exit door. Her answer was simple, “So? Just do as I said.” Fine, so I kept the door open and welcome the people in. Minutes later, my section leader came, questioned me on ‘didn’t you know your role’, before I could explain, she went to the door, slammed it and as she was walking away, her remarks “You should know your role by now.” I just looked on and speechless. Guess what’s happens next? The assistant leader came back, stared at me with displeased eyes, opened the door, and she leads people in by the door. Another one of those stare that said, “Why didn’t you do what I told you to do!” Before she walks away, she reminds me ‘to keep the door opened’. This time I tried to explain to her that the section leader wanted it close. She chose not to answer, but kept the door open. Now, I am lost.

The section leader came back, give me the ‘Why’ stare, but this time, I was quick and told her that the assistant leader insisted on opening the door. My section leader replies “Ok, if that’s her idea. Fine, keep it open, but I want it close whenever possible.” Now, I am doubly lost.

??????? Help me!

Doesn’t this story sound familiar in your workplace? We would always say that we want our staff to work with initiatives. But did we ever

wonder if we are the cause of their reluctance to be more proactive? ‘Do what I tell you to do, and think for yourself’ principle really sounds contradicting.

Corporate loyalty no longer exists, faith in the hierarchy and bureaucracy is dead, the distressed employee is replacing the company man, and most organizations are experiencing difficulty in implementing quality improvement programs, and an assortment of strategic planning initiatives. The challenge of the decade is how to lead an organization of people who feel abused, feel confused, and don’t want to follow. The company has one agenda, the worker has another, and the manager usually can’t figure either one. Company policies and procedures get in the way of doing the work in the most efficient manner. Everyone except the worker is defining the way in which work is to be done. Someone always seems to be restructuring someone else. In a recent survey, employees of a high-tech electronic manufacturer were asked, “What is keeping you from achieving your goals at work?” The clear-cut majority of respondents said that it was “management and team leaders” who were the source of their problems, and the company had too many chiefs.

Workers are told how valuable they are, but they are then treated as invaluable and told to “quit if you don’t like it here.” They feel trapped and are under the control of people in authority who make decisions at their own convenience and by their own choice. They are rigid and arbitrary rules. Infractions of the rules are punished severely. Employees quickly learn about the negative consequences of disobeying or even speaking up in opposition to orders, rules, and norms of the corporate culture – they simply becomes ‘order-takers’. No wonder employees watch the clock, daydream, and expect little stimulation from the workplace. On the job, they only do what seems absolutely necessary, stay out of trouble, and try not to rock the boat. People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.