Cynicism. We’ve all seen it. The eye-rolls in the back of the meeting, the ‘here we go again’ Slack messages, and that lack of engagement, that hesitance to get started that covers every new initiative like a wet blanket.

But cynicism is a defense mechanism. And at work, it’s what happens when employees have been disappointed too many times… by leadership.

So, most people are not disengaged by default. They are disengaged by experience.

They’ve heard the talk. They’ve seen the posters. What they haven’t seen is substance. Action. Follow through.

So they protect themselves. Wouldn’t you?

And cynicism spreads faster than enthusiasm ever will.

So what do great leaders do differently?

1. They follow through. They do what they say. And if they’re not prepared to do it, they don’t say it.
2. Radical Transparency: Stop the corporate-speak. If things are tough, say it. If a project failed, own it.
3. Go for Micro-Wins: Stop promising the moon. Deliver small, tangible improvements that people can actually see by Friday.
4. The Feedback Loop: Don’t just ASK for opinions—show exactly how those opinions changed a decision. If you can’t use the feedback, explain why.

Cynicism is just a lack of trust in disguise. As a leader, your job isn’t to police the attitude; it’s to fix the environment that created it.