Set Up to Fail Syndrome
Have you ever been in a role where, despite your best efforts, your manager acted as if you would fail? Any small mistakes were blown out of proportion, and you seemed to receive less support than your peers. Did you feel demotivated and disheartened? You might not have realised it, but you were probably caught in the 'Set Up to Fail' syndrome. This experience is more common than we think and can severely impact individual and organisational performance.
Good intentions are necessary but insufficient for effective leadership.
Bosses—albeit accidentally and usually with the best of intentions—are often complicit in an employee’s lack of success. Unknowingly, they treat some subordinates as part of an in-group while others are consigned to an out-group. The result is that employees who feel unsupported and expected to fail are less likely to put in discretionary effort and more likely to leave their jobs within a year.
Imagine a runner preparing for a race, but instead of being given proper training and support, they are handed a pair of shoes with holes and directed to a track filled with obstacles. Despite their determination and effort, the conditions set them up to struggle and fall behind. Similarly, employees caught in the 'Set Up to Fail' syndrome face unfair disadvantages that hinder their performance and growth, making it difficult to succeed no matter how hard they try.
What is the Set Up to Fail Syndrome?
The 'Set Up to Fail' Syndrome is a destructive cycle that undermines employee potential and organisational success. Breaking this cycle is crucial for fostering a positive and productive work environment.
When managers expect failure, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Employees lose confidence, disengage, and their performance declines, justifying the manager's low expectations. Organisations must support leaders to recognise and disrupt this cycle to unleash their team's full potential.
The 'Set Up to Fail' syndrome closely relates to the system archetype "Shifting the Burden." In this archetype, a problem is addressed by a short-term solution that alleviates symptoms temporarily but undermines the system's ability to implement long-term solutions. In the context of the 'Set Up to Fail' syndrome, a manager's low expectations and lack of support act as a short-term fix to perceived performance issues. Instead of investing in proper training, development, and encouragement, the manager's negative bias perpetuates a cycle of poor performance. This quick fix of expecting failure leads to temporary relief for the manager but ultimately undermines the employee's potential and the organisation's success.
Breaking this cycle requires recognising the underlying issues and implementing long-term strategies to build capabilities, set positive expectations, and provide necessary support. By addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms, organisations can shift from a culture of failure to growth and success.
Quotes
The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Next Steps
Bosses can foster a culture of growth and success by consciously reflecting on their own thinking and behaviour, setting positive expectations and providing necessary support.
1. Awareness: Recognise the signs of 'Set Up to Fail' Syndrome in your team, especially your contribution.
2. Feedback: Seek and provide constructive and balanced feedback that encourages growth.
3. Support: Offer resources and support to help employees overcome challenges.
4. Expectations: Set high yet realistic expectations and communicate belief in your team's capabilities.
5. Monitoring: Regularly review progress and adjust strategies to ensure continuous improvement.
By noticing the 'Set Up to Fail' Syndrome and then addressing it, you can create an empowering environment where everyone can succeed.
