Some leaders really do mean well.
They smile at the team in the morning.
They belanja lunch once in a while.
They even help out in personal emergencies.
But behind all that, there’s something the team feels every single day,
and it’s not in the free food or friendly chats.
It’s in the way ideas get stuck.
It’s in the way every sen has to be approved.
It’s in the way salaries sometimes come late, with a long explanation attached.
It’s not about the absence of kindness.
It’s about the absence of trust.
A friend once told me about a marketing plan she poured her heart into.
She had the numbers, the timing, the budget, everything ready.
Her manager liked it but said, “Let me check with the boss.”
The boss, busy with other ventures, wanted to “check with finance.”
By the time the idea made its way back, the season had passed.
The campaign? Cancelled.
After a few rounds of that, you stop coming up with ideas.
Not because you don’t care but because you know the waiting will kill it.
In another company, there was no petty cash.
Not even for small things like postage or a last-minute client lunch.
Every sen had to be approved by the boss.
Even salaries sometimes came late.
Each time, there was a reason :a client delay, a payment stuck, a technical glitch.
The staff were polite. They’d say, “We understand.”
But deep inside, they knew what it meant:
If our pay isn’t a priority, maybe we aren’t either.
From the team’s point of view, when a boss controls every decision and every ringgit, the message is clear:
I don’t think you’re capable.
I don’t trust you to act responsibly.
I see you as a risk, not a partner.
You can’t expect people to give their best in that kind of environment.
Slowly, they stop thinking ahead. They wait for instructions.
And eventually, they just… switch off.
You don’t need a grand “culture transformation” to fix this.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as:
Letting people decide on certain things without checking in.
Giving small budgets so work doesn’t stall.
Paying salaries on time, without fail.
When leaders loosen the grip and replace it with trust, you can feel the shift almost instantly.
Ideas move faster. People care more.
And the team starts to own the outcome not just follow orders.
Leadership isn’t about how much you can control.
It’s about how much you can enable.
Because when you tear down the invisible walls,
you’re not just giving your team more freedom
you’re giving your business a fighting chance to grow.
