Imagine working in an environment where priorities shift weekly, deadlines are uncertain, and frustration mounts. This is the reality for employees under managers who lack assertiveness. While flexibility is valuable, constant unpredictability creates confusion and inefficiency.
Assertiveness is the ability to express one’s thoughts, needs, and expectations clearly and confidently while respecting others. In management, it means setting clear goals, making firm decisions, and communicating effectively without being aggressive or passive.
Organizational success depends on empowered teams led by assertive managers who set clear goals and ensure productivity. However, when managers frequently change plans without direction, it leads to chaos rather than adaptability. This article explores why assertiveness in management is crucial and how unpredictability can harm teams and organizations.
The Challenges with Constantly Changing Priorities
Team leaders must adapt to shifting business needs. However, employees struggle to focus. This occurs when changes happen too frequently without clear communication or justification. This challenge is even more pronounced in the tech world, where building important products or systems takes longer. Some key issues that arise include:
- ⚠️ Reduced Productivity: Employees spend time reworking tasks instead of progressing on significant objectives. Studies indicate that teams facing constant priority changes can experience a productivity decline of up to 40% due to wasted effort and ambiguous goals (Smith et al., 2021).
- 😞 Decreased Morale: Constant shifts can demoralise teams, making them feel their efforts are wasted (Johnson & Lee, 2020).
- 🤯 Decision Fatigue: Employees become uncertain and may disengage from work (Davis, 2019).
The problems are not limited to the employees; they are contagious to the manager who show unassertiveness. He / She / Them who lack assertiveness faces several challenges that hinder both team effectiveness and their own leadership development:
- ❌ Lack of Respect: Employees may see the manager as indecisive. This perception leads to a lack of confidence and trust in their leadership (Taylor & Brown, 2022).
- 😨 Fear of Confrontation: An unassertive manager may avoid difficult conversations, leading to unresolved conflicts and inefficiency.
- 📉 Loss of Team Motivation: Employees feel unmotivated when leadership lacks conviction, reducing overall engagement and performance.
Case Examples
1. Tech Startup Turbulence at “InnovateX”
🚀 The software development company InnovateX had a manager who frequently changed project priorities based on fleeting market trends. One week, the team was instructed to focus on an AI feature. The next week, the priority shifted to enhancing UI design. As a result, developers were forced to rewrite code multiple times, delaying product releases and frustrating both employees and stakeholders. Eventually, the inconsistency led to a 35% increase in employee turnover within a year (Harvard Business Review, 2021).
2. Retail Chain’s Disorganised Strategy at “ShopEase”
🏬 At the national retail company ShopEase, a district manager kept changing store priorities. One week they pushed a loyalty program. The next week they focused on in-store merchandising. Employees found meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) impossible because the expectations kept shifting. Sales associates and managers on the ground felt disoriented. This confusion led to inconsistent customer experiences. It also resulted in a 12% decline in sales performance over six months (Retail Business Insights, 2020).
3. Marketing Agency’s Rollercoaster Ride at “BrandBoost”
📈 The digital marketing agency BrandBoost struggled under a manager’s leadership who continuously changed campaign focuses. One week, social media campaigns were the top priority; the next, SEO optimisation took precedence. This led to incomplete strategies and poor results for clients. Employees felt they were constantly starting over, causing burnout and reducing the agency’s reputation. Client retention dropped by 25%, and employee satisfaction scores plummeted by 30% (Marketing Industry Report, 2022).
Actions to Overcome Unassertive Leadership
For Managers:
- Setting Clear Goals: Defining objectives and ensuring they align with the company’s mission.
- Develop Decisiveness: Make well-informed decisions and stand by them to provide stability to the team.
- Limit Frequent Shifts: Ensure changes are based on strategy, not impulse.
- Seek Employee Input: Involve the team in discussions to create buy-in and alignment.
- Seek Leadership Training: Engage in professional development programs to enhance assertiveness and strategic thinking.
For Employees:
- Provide Constructive Feedback: Encourage open communication by respectfully voicing concerns about shifting priorities.
- Clarify Expectations: Ask for clear objectives and deadlines to reduce uncertainty and improve focus.
- Take Initiative: Show proactive problem-solving and offer structured suggestions to guide managers toward better decision-making.
Conclusion
While adapting to change is essential in business, constant unpredictability without assertiveness can damage productivity, morale, and trust. A strong manager maintains flexibility towards bigger strategic goals of the organisation, but not to impulse. Managers can navigate change by being assertive. By setting clear expectations and effectively communicating, they foster stability and success within their teams.
CLEAN ENERGIZER 
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