How executives make unintentional mistakes when trying to get things done faster

I’ve witnessed this pattern almost daily. Executives, eager to accelerate decision-making and improve implementation speed, often bypass the hierarchical layers beneath them and reach directly to operators to ensure things get done.

I’ve seen it across industries and organizational functions - from listening in on customer service calls with frustrated clients and giving instant directives on how to resolve the issue, to spending time on the shop floor deciding how to handle specific operational problems.

While this may appear as a hands-on, “managing on the ground” approach that drives quick fixes, the long-term consequences are far more damaging than the short-term gains. Such behavior undermines the established system of hierarchy and erodes managerial accountability, ultimately weakening the organization’s ability to function effectively.