The Set-Up-To-Fail Syndrome: How Good Managers Cause Great People to Fail

by Jean-François Manzoni, Jean-Louis Barsoux

Does this scenario sound familiar? An employee you manage slips up somehow: a missed deadline, a lost account, or a weak presentation. You decide to oversee that person's work more closely. After all, if your direct reports aren't delivering, it's your head that will roll. To further your frustration, the more you 'help', the worse the employee's performance becomes. What's going on? In this eye-opening book, leadership experts Jean-Francois Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux expose a disturbing and surprisingly rampant phenomenon. While common wisdom assumes that so-called poor performers fail in spite of their boss' best efforts, this book demonstrates exactly the opposite. In many cases, a boss' attitudes and behaviors actually cause or 'set up' certain individuals - including those with great potential - to fail. Based on ten years of study into boss-subordinate relationships, Manzoni and Barsoux show that this Set-Up-to-Fail Syndrome is not confined to relationships with the proverbial 'boss from hell'. Even respected leaders - whether CEOs, teachers, or coaches - get caught up in it. The problem stems from the fact that while most managers empower and encourage star performers, they tend to micromanage and control perceived 'weaker' performers in ways that stifle self-confidence and drive. The unwitting result: the latter group lives down to expectations, rather than living up to its true potential. The cost of the Syndrome, say Manzoni and Barsoux, goes well beyond the lost productivity of a few individuals. It also threatens to derail careers, takes a heavy toll on morale, and hampers overall organizational results. Through dozens of interviews, illustrative stories, and compelling research, they show how readers can: determine whether they are involved in a set-up-to-fail dynamic, Recognize the mental biases that cause bosses to trigger the cycle; understand how subordinates contribute to fueling the problem; take specific steps to interrupt the cycle through proactive interventions; and, prevent the Syndrome altogether by managing relationships differently. For anyone with influence on an individual's potential, this book offers powerful ways to improve performance - and quality of life - in any organizational setting. Jean-Francois Manzoni is Associate Professor of Management and founding director of the research initiative on High Performance Organizations at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. Jean-Louis Barsoux is a Senior Research Fellow at INSEAD.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Management

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2002

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes a strong case for the correlation between perception of an employee and end results.

I’m giving it 4 stars because it did make a significant shift in my own thinking and understanding of the world.

It could perhaps delve more into certain complexities. For example, the book made me reflect a lot and think about cases where this must come into play a lot with discriminatory bias for example. How much is this affecting people in different groups disproportionately? And how much does this then feed into cultural viewpoints? For example if managers in one place are highly discriminatory and it leads to some of their employees from non-majority backgrounds underperforming, does this then lead to others perceptions being shaped by that, too? Thus perpetuating a cycle. It’s a horrible thing to think about it but it made me wonder about this a lot. It really makes you reflect on experiences you have saw around you, and have a lot more compassion and less judgement for others who you have saw struggling at times.

I think it’s also important to consider that a lot of the time the mistreatment can be deliberate as a bullying or exclusionary effort, or due to a disorder, or due to sexism / racism (as is often the case unfortunately). I think with the intended audience and intent to make a difference in managers it makes sense it takes a more compassionate, forgiving approach than this, but as an employee I also think it can be important to note that if you end up in this dynamic - sometimes just get out of dodge. It’s not always an equal playing field and a simple mistake / dynamic issue on both sides that can be solved, in fact I’d argue that most of the time it’s not. But that’s my opinion on it.

However, it is an eye opening book. And I think it’s a massively important conversation to be having, and it’s admirable that the writers have put so much effort into demonstrating their case.

[Jorg van Gaal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read about the set up to fail syndrome. Situations occur in companies where the manager sees a direct report underperforming and gets more strict. Upon this strictness, the direct report feels like she is no longer trusted and starts to shut down. This is a negative spiral that keeps going. The article described various ways to get out of it (though difficult).

For me, the most memorable part is to be open and communicate explicitly. Only then the relationship can be salvaged and work can continue in the fashion it should be.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

my colleague got me this many years ago and i only just got to reading it. felt like a quick recap of psych lessons and some practical advice was inside too, but i felt like this could have been a web article instead of an entire book.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Executive Coach, I have read very few books I would rate 5 star dealing with leadership, as most are hackneyed retreads or glittering generalities written by famous business people. This book is different and is quite remarkable in its practicality and common sense in dealing with relationships in any working environment. The authors call the mutual sabotaging behaviors between boss and subordinate "The Set Up-to Fail Syndrome", an apt description of the crazy ways we interact in a power-powerless relationship that are familiar to any of us who have ever worked for or managed others. If we are honest, we can recognize how we have contributed to perpetuating this chicken-egg dilemma.

In short, the theory goes something like this: Either boss or subordinate makes very early snap decisions about the other and behave accordingly. When the boss does this, an in group and an out group are created. This works well for subordinates on the in group, but as we know, if you're not in, you're out. When we feel that we are judged deficient in some way and therefore out, we respond in ways that are frequently self-sabotaging and justifies the boss' initial impression. The vicious cycle continues. Conversely, when we size up a new boss to be unfair or inept, we treat him/her accordingly, creating a rift between the two. As in baseball where the tie goes to the runner, the subordinate winds up being "out".

There are many ramifications to this syndrome that are covered thoroughly in the book. Also, there are very specific recommendations on how to prevent or resurrect inferior relationships that result in lost productivity, poor quality, bad morale and all the other afflictions so common in a working environment. If you want to be a better boss or subordinate and thus achieve greater success on your job, I highly recommend reading this book and incorporating its solutions in your daily responsibilities. Everybody will benefit.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone in a management position should read this book. It is very informative and explains how decisions about a worker's performance can be made in only minutes and how that affects the worker's entire career with that manager. Eye opening!

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

An appalling but important read, for anyone who manages and many who are managed.

[Laurent]

A unconventional view of dysfunctional boss/employee relationships where the blame is not laid squarely on the subordinate's shoulders but shared also blamed on the manager's behavior.