As an executive, dealing with defensive employees can be one of the most challenging aspects of leadership. Resistance to accountability, communication breakdowns, and lack of self-awareness among employees can create a toxic work environment and impede growth. Understanding the defense mechanisms driving these behaviors can empower leaders to address issues with clarity and purpose.
Here are seven common defense mechanisms employees may exhibit:
1. Lack of Accountability: They Blame-Shift
Employees who struggle with accountability often redirect responsibility for mistakes onto others. For instance, when a project deadline is missed, they may argue, "I wasn’t given enough direction," or "The team didn’t provide the materials I needed." While there might be partial truths, the avoidance of personal responsibility hinders progress and undermines trust.
Example: An employee fails to meet a quarterly goal and insists, "The market conditions were unfavorable," rather than evaluating their strategy or effort.
2. Lack of Communication Skills: They Accuse You of Starting Arguments
Poor communicators may feel defensive when approached about their performance. Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue, they might accuse leadership of being overly critical or claim, "You're just looking for something to blame me for." This shifts the focus away from the real issue.
Example: During a feedback session, an employee interrupts to say, "You always focus on the negative," deflecting from the actual feedback.
3. Lack of Emotional Intelligence: They Gaslight You
Employees lacking emotional intelligence may resort to gaslighting tactics to avoid scrutiny. This could include minimizing the importance of their mistakes or questioning your interpretation of events.
Example: When confronted about leaving a critical task incomplete, they respond with, "I never agreed to do that," or "You’re overreacting; it wasn’t that important."
4. Lack of Self-Awareness: They Criticize You and Project Their Flaws
Defensive employees often deflect attention from their shortcomings by criticizing leadership or colleagues. Projection allows them to avoid confronting their own flaws while shifting the negative focus elsewhere.
Example: An employee with poor time management accuses their manager of "not respecting deadlines" to distract from their habitual tardiness.
5. Lack of Honesty: They Distort the Truth and Facts
Dishonest employees may misrepresent situations to protect themselves. They might exaggerate their role in a team’s success or downplay their involvement in failures to shape a more favorable narrative.
Example: When asked why a report is incomplete, they claim, "I wasn’t given the information," when, in reality, they missed internal deadlines.
6. Lack of Integrity: They Justify Actions with Excuses or Deflection
Integrity gaps often reveal themselves when employees rationalize questionable behavior. They might defend cutting corners or bending rules by citing time constraints or claiming it’s "just how things are done."
Example: An employee caught using company resources for personal tasks insists, "Everyone does it," instead of acknowledging the misconduct.
7. Lack of Boundaries: They Attempt to Overstep Yours
Employees who don’t respect professional boundaries may disregard protocols or ignore clear directives. They might overstep by making unilateral decisions that disrupt workflows or undermine leadership.
Example: An employee bypasses their manager to pitch an idea directly to senior leadership, despite being instructed to follow the proper chain of command.
Leading Through the Resistance
When facing defensive behaviors, it’s essential for executives to maintain a calm, objective stance. Recognize these actions for what they are—mechanisms employees use to protect themselves from perceived threats. Address issues with clarity, understanding and respect, while holding firm on goals and accountability. By fostering open communication, modeling emotional intelligence, and setting clear boundaries, leaders can create an environment where growth and collaboration thrive.
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