There's no excuse for "nobody told me"

Martha Bartlett Piland | MB Piland Advertising + Marketing

Why is he waiting—and by whom—to be told? Is this laziness or a symptom of something else?

A “nobody told me” excuse at any level of an organization could be one indication of a sick culture. It means that one or more of these obstacles are in play:

• lack of a clearly defined mission and purpose

• multiple silos and turf wars exist between departments

• there’s a staffer who withholds information to wield power

• employees aren’t given proper training and guiding procedures

• employees aren’t trusted and allowed to bring their best selves to the job

• poor or hasty decisions have led to lazy hiring practices

• there’s no follow up after action steps have been established (nobody “owns” any of the actions)

• employees at all levels (even leaders) have a “that’s not my job” attitude

• good leadership isn’t modeled from the top

• the board of directors isn’t paying attention and holding leadership to the brand standard

• someone is "going rogue"

listen nowA prevalent “nobody told me” attitude means your brand is nothing but a thin facade. It means customers aren’t getting good service, innovation is lagging and great employees are on the lookout for greener pastures.

Listen now. Listen through all levels of your organization (including yourself). If you hear “nobody told me,” take immediate steps to remedy the situation. The life of your brand depends on it.

Martha Bartlett Piland

President + CEO of MB Piland Advertising + Marketing

Inventor of TRANSFORMOTION™ in a Box Author of “Culturing Creative”