The Leader Mindset #44

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The One Requirement of Every Leader: Do No Harm

What if I told you that your job as a leader was, first and foremost, to do no harm? My guess is your reaction would be, of course. Nothing new here. And yet, something troubling is happening in our workplaces. As society becomes more dehumanized, that mindset is increasingly shaping how some leaders show up at work.

I keep hearing more stories about leaders having emotional outbursts, using harsher language, and losing their tempers more quickly. For various reasons, disrespect and even psychological harm are not only being tolerated, but in some cases quietly accepted.

Recently, a close friend shared how his leader handled frustration on a major project. After learning the team was behind schedule, the leader spent nearly twenty minutes of a staff meeting yelling and publicly chastising specific team members.

I’ve heard no shortage of justifications for this behavior. Maybe leaders lose emotional control. Maybe they believe fear motivates people. Maybe they’re copying what they learned from a past boss. Or maybe pressure is simply leaking into how they treat others. Whatever the reason, let’s all agree it is not ok.

That reaction may have feel satisfying or even appropriate in the moment. But ultimately, it worked against the leader’s own self-interest.

Here’s why.

This isn’t a message that leaders simply need to be nice at work. It’s a reminder that employee performance and self-confidence are closely connected. When people are treated with respect and believe they can succeed, they work harder, take smarter risks, and recover more quickly when things go wrong. When leaders put people down, belief erodes, confidence drops, and self-efficacy weakens.

And when self-efficacy declines, research shows performance follows.

So, the very outcome these leaders want more of—stronger performance—is exactly what their behavior is undermining. In my friend’s example, that team didn’t leave motivated to excel. They left deflated and guarded.

That makes the next point unavoidable.

For the sake of self-interest alone, every leader has one basic requirement: do no harm.

If damaging self-efficacy lowers performance, the first step is obvious. Stop doing it. Leaders carry a moral and ethical responsibility to treat people with dignity and respect. But stopping harm isn’t enough. The real opportunity is to build self-efficacy instead. Here’s what actually helps.

WHAT BUILDS SELF-EFFICACY AT WORK?

It’s not complicated, but it does require intention.

Recognition matters.
This isn’t about empty praise or rewards for simply showing up. It’s about honestly acknowledging effort, progress, and achievement. Recognition tells people, “You matter here, and your work counts.” That belief builds confidence and supports stronger performance.

Feedback matters too.
Offer real feedback that is specific and timely. Focus on how people perform, not who they are. When done well, feedback doesn’t tear people down. It gives them a clear path to improve and reinforces that growth can be achieved.

This is where leaders often get nervous.

Some hear “do no harm” and assume it means avoiding tough conversations or lowering standards. That’s not true. Addressing performance issues is essential and, when handled well, actually strengthens self-efficacy. It all comes down to how you approach it.

Clear expectations give people something concrete to aim for. Consistency makes standards feel fair. Empathy keeps the drive for performance from turning into dehumanized attacks. You can be direct without being disrespectful or coming off like a jerk.

We can do better. True leadership means treating people with dignity, respect, and grace, especially when pressure is high, not only when things are easy. This isn’t a message about being nicer at work; it’s about how leadership behavior either fuels performance or quietly destroys it.

Andy Noon, PhD

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Andy