Imagine an organization announcing a new core value: “Do as Your Leader Says.” They put signs on the walls. Bumper stickers. Pins, t-shirts. The whole bit. Can you imagine it?

Nah.

There’s a reason why we don’t see core values like this: Knowledge work requires collaborative approaches, not top-down management. (Plus, we don’t work in North Korea!) So no one would put “Do as Your Leaders Says” in words and expect people to work there. Instead, the most popular core values involve words like “integrity,” “innovation,” “respect” and “accountability.”

But let’s be honest. Core values are not what’s in writing. Core values are the real threads that run through our organizations. And even if it’s not stated on the walls, “Do as the Leader Says” is still a core value at many workplaces.

Don’t believe it?

Look no further than widespread failed “Return to Office” mandates. I’ve studied countless organizations (many with beautifully written core values) whose leaders mandated a come-back without so much as a discussion.

The results: Many employees drive to the office, badge-in, have a coffee and leave. Some make secret pacts with their managers to avoid going in. And the data show that more employees worked from home in 2024 than 2023. It’s a shame, given the many advantages of having people in the office.

Why do we do this? It’s not always because, as leaders, we’re bad bosses or bad people. It’s often because we’ve been lauded and risen in our careers for doing things a one way, and during change we need to do them the opposite way.

Let’s take, for example, solving problems. We see a problem, and we solve it. Done. We’ve been patted on the back and promoted over the years for being decisive. Good.

Yet during a change, when we solve a problem on our own—without asking, sincerely listening, understanding, hearing our people, and then using this knowledge—our ideas are likely naïve. So we get smiles and nods from our people. Then the change dissipates. And we wonder why.

Bottom line: Change is no democracy, but it does involve “respect” for those who will carry it out. There’s no “integrity” in saying one thing and doing another. And we miss out on “innovation” from people eager to share new ways of doing things and ready to implement.

Bottom line: It’s time to re-think change.

Let me know what you think. I look forward to being in touch.

Al Comeaux