"Defensive leadership," such as using surveillance software to monitor remote employees, is a form of overmanaging driven by cynicism. This communicates a profound lack of trust, which demoralizes workers and incentivizes them to do only the bare minimum.
Cynicism is the default assumption that people are untrustworthy, a stance as baseless as gullibility. True wisdom lies in skepticism: using evidence to determine who to trust, rather than blindly mistrusting everyone from the outset.
The "cynicism trap" is a self-fulfilling prophecy. When leaders assume workers are selfish and implement controlling policies (preemptive strikes), they signal mistrust. This demoralizes employees, who then act selfishly in retaliation, validating the leader's initial cynical belief.
To counteract a cynical culture, shift the narrative. Instead of a "culture of genius" that spotlights individual high-performers, create a "culture of heroes." This involves actively finding, rewarding, and publicizing stories of selfless teamwork and mutual support to make goodness visible.
Cynicism is often mistaken for realism, but it's a paralyzing force that kills imagination and reinforces the status quo. Hope isn't naive optimism; it's a practical tool that allows individuals and teams to envision a better future and provides the energy to pursue it.
A cynical workplace isn't just unhappy; it's inefficient. Lack of trust leads to higher "transaction costs"—the money and time spent on excessive contracting, monitoring, and arbitrating disputes. This makes trust-based organizations inherently more efficient.