Malicious Obedience

Malicious Obedience

Have you ever done this? Have you ever told someone to do something that should not have been done—or, at least, not done in the way you told them to do it?

If you were lucky, the person you told knew it would lead trouble and said something like this: “I really think you might want to reconsider this because…” You listened, and a serious mistake was avoided. These situations don’t always end this way, however.

Sometimes you give the order. The person you give it to knows just how much trouble it will lead to, but carries it out nonetheless. When asked later why they did what they did, they report that they were merely following orders.

When asked why they didn’t try to warn you, they might say that they did, but you wouldn’t listen. Or, they might say that it wasn’t their job to warn you. Their job was to carry out your orders. What they did is called malicious obedience.

The maliciously obedient are usually those who do not feel as if they are being treated respectfully, properly, or even politely. They also feel that their own knowledge and experience are being ignored. Sometimes these people are partners or vendors.

When you hire a vendor, or team up with a partner, it should be because you respect what they have to offer—including their experience. When you ignore it, or treat them as if they don’t matter, you are leaving yourself open to trouble. Your partners or vendors can create serious problems for you if they simply and literally follow your directions rather than working with you to best accomplish your goals.