How Do Power Dynamics Amplify a Leader’s Casual Comments?
The higher you rise, the more your suggestions are heard as orders; offhand ideas become directives. Leaders who “think out loud” can unintentionally send teams on wasteful detours.
Metaphor
A leader’s casual comment is like a celebrity casually recommending a diner on social media and suddenly the place is swamped with fans. Their casual mention carries more weight than intended, because people act on it as if it were a directive.
Likewise, when leaders “think out loud,” their amplified words can send teams chasing detours they never meant to authorize.
Works Consulted
In addition to any sources cited above, the following works informed my thinking:(1)
1.
Goldsmith M. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There [Internet]. Profile Books; 2013. Available from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/84525.What_Got_You_Here_Won_t_Get_You_There