You have seen the signs: the missed enthusiasm in meetings, the lack of “extra mile” effort, and the sudden, clinical adherence to a 5:00 PM exit. Most managers write this off as a lack of discipline. They are wrong. This is the “Compliance Trap.” When your leadership model is built on control, your team stops contributing and starts performing a role. They haven’t lost their talent: they have just lost their reason to give it to you.
