One of the first signs an organization is growing isn't just new names on the org chart. It's ambiguity.
As more people are hired, they bring different interpretations of how work gets done and what success looks like.
Different ways of running meetings, making decisions, and defining quality begin to take shape.
Each approach makes sense on its own. But over time, people start adapting to manager preferences instead of a shared standard.
Insight: People need consistency more than sameness
People don't need their managers to lead the same way. Different personalities, communication styles, and approaches to problem solving support growth.
What they need is enough consistency to understand what good work looks like, how decisions get made, and what's expected of them.
Without consistency, people stop developing judgment and start adapting to preferences.
Eventually, they're no longer asking, "What's the right approach?"
They're asking, "Who am I working with?"
Real Leadership Story: Three managers, three expectations
A junior account executive, six months in and trying to impress, submits a similar monitoring report to three different managers over the course of a week.
The first manager tells them it's excellent.
The second manager sends it back with significant revisions.
The third manager redoes portions of it and hands it back completed.
The person isn't frustrated. They're confused. Because they genuinely don't know what success looks like anymore.
So they adapt. They start paying closer attention to who they’re working with than to the work itself.
The work still gets done. But confidence takes a hit, decision-making slows, and nobody notices because, on the surface, everything looks fine.
In the Moment: Protect what good looks like
Consistency requires enough alignment that people understand what great work, strong communication, and effective leadership look like regardless of who they report to.
A few places to start:
Compare notes regularly. Whether it's a weekly or bi-weekly managers meeting, create space for leaders to discuss feedback, standards, and expectations, not just hours allocations and workloads. These conversations support peer development and help maintain consistency across teams.
Make expectations visible. Don't assume everyone shares the same definition of quality. Discuss it openly across the organization.
Document examples. Real examples of strong work often teach more effectively than broad principles. Share these as standards for everyone.
Watch for confusion. When employees begin asking different managers the same question, it may be a sign that expectations aren't aligned.
Growth creates more ways of working. The challenge isn't eliminating those differences. It's making sure people still know what good looks like.
Question to Sit With This Week:
Where might people on your team be receiving different messages about what good looks like?
Got a leadership challenge? Email me at [email protected] and I’ll tackle it in a future issue of The Present Leader.