Leaders Say They Want Nonconformist Employees. They Sure Don’t Act Like It.

The Wall Street Journal:

Ask most corporate leaders what kind of employees they want, and the answers will be nearly uniform: They crave creative workers who think outside the box, who speak truth to power, and who are always looking for better ways to get the job done.

That’s what they say, anyway. What they do, however, tells a whole different story.

Across industries and jobs, employees report feeling pressured to follow established norms and practices in their organizations. They tell of being frustrated by the lack of opportunities to speak their minds, to be the best versions of themselves, to bring their ideas to the table or to suggest ideas for changing the status quo for the better.

The sad truth is that early in our careers, we are taught to conform, both to the status quo and to the opinions and actions of others. The more power and status we acquire as we climb the organizational ladder, the greater this pressure to conform.

Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal