TL;DR: Running your boss under the bus might feel satisfying in the moment, but research shows it destroys your reputation, kills future opportunities, and actually makes you the target for exploitation. Smart professionals protect their career by building trust instead of burning bridges.
Let's dive into it. 👇
Your boss just made another terrible decision. Everyone's rolling their eyes. Someone suggests throwing them under the bus in the leadership meeting tomorrow.
Stop right there.
I've seen this play out hundreds of times in boardrooms. The person who speaks up against their boss might get a few nods and some temporary solidarity. But they also get labeled as disloyal, untrustworthy, and career-limiting.
Here's what the research actually tells us about workplace loyalty and why protecting your boss (even when they're wrong) is the smartest career move you'll make.
The Loyalty Paradox That's Killing Careers
Recent research reveals something counterintuitive: loyal employees are actually targeted for exploitation by managers. But here's the twist. New data shows 61% of employees have been thrown under the bus at work, with nearly a third saying they see it happen weekly.
Think about it like this: if everyone's backstabbing everyone, the person who stays loyal becomes incredibly valuable. You become the exception in a sea of people who can't be trusted.
When I was CIO, I had a director who disagreed with me on a major system rollout. Instead of undermining me in meetings or going around me to my boss, he came to my office. He presented his concerns directly. We worked through the issues together.
That director? He got promoted twice in two years. Not because he was a yes-man, but because I knew I could trust him with sensitive information and difficult decisions.
The Trust Multiplier Effect
Research from Deloitte found that 79 percent of employees who highly trust their employers felt motivated to work. But trust flows both ways. When you protect your boss's reputation, you're making a deposit in the trust bank.
Studies show that trust leads to increased cooperation, willingness to take risks, and loyalty to the leader and organization. Your boss remembers who had their back when things got tough.
Here's what happens when you build trust instead of burning bridges:
- You get access to better projects and opportunities
- Your boss becomes invested in your success
- You're included in strategic conversations
- Leadership sees you as promotion material
The Real Cost of Backstabbing
Organizational research shows that 78% of workplace conflicts stem from mismatched expectations and communication breakdowns. When you undermine your boss publicly, you're not solving the real problem. You're creating a bigger one.
Let me break this down with a real example. I once worked with a marketing director who constantly criticized her VP in team meetings. She thought she was being helpful by pointing out flaws in strategy.
Within six months, she was pushed out. Not because her points weren't valid, but because no one above her could trust her with confidential information or sensitive decisions.
The replacement? Someone with half her experience but twice her emotional intelligence.
How to Disagree Without Destroying Relationships
You don't have to be a doormat. Here's the system I've used to challenge leadership while building trust:
1️⃣ The Private First Rule: Always address concerns privately before any public discussion. Your boss deserves to know your perspective before anyone else does.
2️⃣ Focus on Solutions: Don't just point out problems. Come up with alternatives. "I see a potential issue with X. What if we tried Y instead?"
3️⃣ Choose Your Battles: Not every disagreement needs to be a hill to die on. Save your political capital for the issues that really matter.
4️⃣ Document Everything: Keep records of your conversations and recommendations. This protects you and shows you're thinking strategically.
The Burnout Connection
When you're constantly fighting your boss or working in a toxic environment where backstabbing is normal, your stress levels skyrocket. Toxic workplaces are a significant cause of good employees seeking new jobs. Instead of contributing to the toxicity by undermining leadership, focus on building the kind of relationship that reduces your daily stress. Trust-based relationships with your boss create psychological safety, reduce conflict, and give you more control over your work environment.
Trust Your Instinct
Your career isn't built on being right in the moment. It's built on being trustworthy over time.
The next time you're tempted to throw your boss under the bus, ask yourself: "Will this make me look like leadership material, or like someone who can't be trusted with sensitive information?"
Smart professionals protect their reputation by protecting relationships. Even difficult ones.
Your future self will thank you for taking the high road.
Ready to level up your leadership approach and build stronger workplace relationships? Let's work together to develop the strategic thinking that gets you promoted. Book a conversation at https://meet.drdegnan.com.
Until next Sunday!
—Oliver
