Why do some people go out of their way to prevent success? This is a destructive pattern I see at many businesses and organizations. Fix something, improve something, build something and someone wants to take it apart. Why?

There really is only one answer to this: emotional immaturity. I used to resist the idea that someone in management would want ideas to fail. Sure, some workers might resent someone who comes up with a great idea but management? Wouldn’t everyone in management want improvement? No.

Unfortunately, poor management needs status quo. If things improve, immature management resents the gain. These people actually believe, maybe feel is the right word, that any success that doesn’t originate from them reflects negatively on them.

Silly. Dangerous too. Someone that immature won’t have the ability to contribute much toward improvement. And since they don’t want improvement from others, things stagnate. Immature management will focus on order and control and not on “better”.

Can the cycle be broken?

Probably not. The immature will dig in deeper as positive suggestions arise. They will fight improvement until the business or organization sinks. Good people, the real talent, will leave at first opportunity. Talented people can’t work under the restraint of immature management. Talented people want to achieve.

I’ve seen businesses sink because of very bad management refusing even to consider small, inexpensive improvements.

I’ve seen businesses turn completely around with new management.

As a general rule, the tighter the fist and the greater the resistance to thought, the more likely failure is ahead.

Change is risky but not as risky as continued poor thinking.


Chris Reich