Why Fake Urgency at Work Breaks Trust

Anyway: On being different, and doing it anyway · May 22, 2025 · 1m

In this episode, I’m calling out a common leadership habit: creating fake urgency.

You’ve probably seen it—arbitrary deadlines, made-up fires, pressure that’s not based on reality.

Sometimes urgency is real. But too often, we use it as a shortcut to get people to work harder. And that shortcut has a cost.

Here’s what happens when we rely on fake urgency:

— We lose our team’s trust

— We burn out our high performers

— We create a culture of constant stress

The truth? People will work hard—if we’re honest with them.

No need to manipulate. Just lead with transparency.

🔔 Follow for more on…