A CEO friend once called me in a panic:
"My employees have ZERO initiative, Vineet! They just sit around, waiting for someone else to act. The entire burden falls on me. Can you talk to them and sort this out?"
I replied, "Sure, Mike (name changed). But first, let me chat with some of your team."
After a few conversations, I met him over a drink in New York and said:
"Congrats, Mike—you’ve built a team of bystanders!"
He stared at me, speechless.
"Your company has Bystander Syndrome," I explained. "People see problems but assume someone else will solve them. They’re waiting for cues because your leadership structure forces them to."
"How?" he asked.
"Because you’ve forgotten three basics of leadership," I replied:
1️⃣ Define the 'What': Set a clear vision and purpose.
2️⃣ Delegate the 'How': Empower your team with authority and guardrails.
3️⃣ Demand Accountability: Assign specific ownership and let them take charge.
"Right now, your team doesn’t act because they’re unclear about what you want. You change directions too often. They don’t know what’s allowed, so they do nothing. They’re waiting for you to shine your spotlight—and that’s the real problem."
"It’s Spotlight Management," I continued. "You focus on one issue at a time, micromanaging it into action while everything else is ignored. It’s like kids playing football—everyone chases the ball, but no one’s positioned to score."
He sighed. "Alright, so how do I fix this?"
I told him:
1️⃣ Create Clarity: Clearly define goals and direction.
2️⃣ Set Ownership: Specify who’s responsible for what.
3️⃣ Step Back: Turn off the spotlight and give your team 48 hours to act.
The issue was never his team—it was him, so I never talked to them!
So, if your team feels stuck in bystander mode, stop blaming them. Leadership isn’t about shining spotlights. It’s about building clarity, trust, and autonomy. Fix the structure, and action will follow.