When Good Intentions Are Misunderstood: Why Managers Must Get Motives Right for Employees
Managers must get their employees' motives right and create a culture of trust and fairness.
By Timothy R. Mcilveene, Maggie M. Davis and Sonia White
In every workplace, employees often step up in ways that aren’t technically part of their job description. A team member might stay late to help a colleague meet a deadline, cover an unexpected shift, or suggest a new way to make a process run more smoothly. These extra efforts—what researchers call going above and beyond—are not formally required, but they’re the glue that keeps organizations running well. They help teams build trust, create stronger cultures, and drive success ess. Now, imagine this scenario: you help a coworker finish a critical
project, only to have your manager question your motives. Instead of recognizing your effort as genuine, they assume you did it to look good. How would that make you feel about helping again?
That simple moment—how a supervisor interprets why someone goes the extra mile—can have powerful ripple effects. Our research examined this dynamic closely and found something important: When leaders misread employees’ motives, it can discourage the very behaviors that organizations rely on to thrive.
What We Studied
We sought to understand how supervisors’ assumptions about employee behavior influence whether employees continue to help in the future. To achieve this, we conducted two studies involving over 700 working professionals from diverse industries.
Participants were asked to imagine themselves in realistic workplace situations where they helped someone or took on an extra responsibility. Then, we varied the supervisor’s reaction: In some cases, the supervisor viewed the behavior as genuine; in others, the supervisor dismissed it as self-serving (i.e., performed just to impress or to gain attention).
We also looked at whether personality traits mattered, specifically, individuals’ openness to experience. Individuals who are high in openness tend to be curious, creative, and eager to explore new ideas. We wanted to know: Do these employees react differently when their motives are misunderstood?
What We Found
Misjudging motives reduces future helping:
When supervisors assumed an employee’s extra effort was about self-promotion rather than genuine concern, employees reported being significantly less likely to go above and beyond in the future. In other words, if you believe your boss doesn’t trust your intentions, you stop putting in the extra effort.
Openness makes employees more sensitive:
Employees who were especially open and creative felt the sting of misjudgment more strongly. When their motives were questioned, they pulled back from contributing discretionary effort at higher rates than others. Ironically, these are often the employees who bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions—the very people organizations can least afford to discourage.
The type of helping matters:
;Interestingly, we found that misjudgment mainly reduced behaviors aimed at supporting the organization as a whole, such as volunteering for projects or initiatives. Employees were more likely to keep helping individual coworkers even when their supervisor misread their motives. This suggests that questioning motives can damage the broader sense of commitment to the organization, rather than personal relationships with peers.
Why It matters for leaders
At first glance, it may seem harmless if a manager occasionally misinterprets why someone helps out. But our findings suggest these moments can reshape how employees view the workplace. When employees feel their motives are doubted, the relationship with their supervisor—and by extension, the organization—shifts. Instead of seeing work as a partnership built on trust and mutual respect, employees start to treat it like a simple transaction: “I’ll do exactly what’s in my job description, nothing more.”
This shift carries real costs. When fewer employees go above and beyond:
- Morale can drop, since discretionary effort often sets the tone for a positive culture.
- Collaboration can weaken, with employees less likely to step in and help.
- Onboarding slows down, as new employees receive less informal support.
- Overall performance suffers because those extra, often invisible, contributions add up to measurable organizational success.
The bottom line: leaders’ assumptions about motives matter more than they might think.
What Leaders Can Do
The good news is that leaders can take clear steps to avoid falling into the misattribution trap:
1) Acknowledge and value extra effort.
Employees want to feel that their contributions are recognized and valued. Simple recognition, such as thanking someone for staying late or acknowledging their creative contributions, reinforces that their efforts are valued and appreciated.
2) Don’t assume motives.
If you’re unsure why an employee did something, ask. A quick conversation is better than jumping to the conclusion that they were seeking attention.
3) Build attribution awareness into training.
Leadership development programs should teach managers to recognize the impact of their own interpretations of motives. This small awareness shift can prevent major engagement problems down the line.
4) Pay attention to highly open employees.
Employees who are curious and creative may be particularly discouraged when they are misunderstood. Leaders should foster environments where openness is celebrated, not questioned.
5) Create a culture of trust and fairness.
Employees who are curious are seen as representatives of the organization. If managers show skepticism or unfairness, employees may perceive that the organization is skeptical and unfair as well. By contrast, consistent trust and fairness encourage employees to stay engaged and committed.
For Managers and Leaders at Every Level
Think back to the best leader you ever worked for. Chances are, that person made you feel seen—not just for what you did, but for why you did it. They recognized your intentions as well as your actions, which made you want to give your best again and again.
That’s not an accident. Our research indicates that when leaders accurately recognize employees’ motives, employees are more likely to continue stepping up. On the other hand, when motives are misread or dismissed, employees withdraw, and the organization loses out on the energy and creativity that discretionary effort provides.
In times when organizations face complex challenges and need every ounce of employee engagement, small moments of misunderstanding can have outsized consequences. Misattributing genuine efforts as self-serving doesn’t just discourage employees—it erodes trust, reduces collaboration, and weakens the culture that allows organizations to succeed.
The lesson for leaders is straightforward: resist the urge to second-guess intentions. Instead, assume goodwill, acknowledge effort, and communicate appreciation. Doing so not only encourages employees to keep giving their best—it strengthens trust, builds engagement, and fosters a healthier organizational culture.
By paying attention to these seemingly small moments, leaders can create workplaces where employees feel understood, valued, and motivated to continue going above and beyond. And in the long run, that’s what drives lasting success.
About The Authors
Maggie M. Davis is an Associate Dean of the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business and Assistant Professor at the University of West Florida. She received her Ph.D. from the University of South Alabama. Dr. Davis’ research interests include organizational behavior, personality and individual differences, health psychology, and ethics. Her industry experience includes serving as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, specializing in program development and consulting, within the healthcare and social services industry.
Timothy R. McIlveene is an Assistant Professor at the University of West Florida. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of South Alabama. Dr. McIlveene’s research interests include corporate social responsibility, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), organizational citizenship behavior, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and private large language models. He explores ESG practices, strategic management, and institutional theory, with a specific focus on how these factors influence organizational behavior and decision-making.
This work is adapted from the journal article “How Could You Think That? Supervisor Misattribution Leads to Reduced Subsequent Employee Organizational Citizenship Behavior” by Timothy R. McIlveene, Maggie M.Davis, and Sonia White, published in the European Journal of Management Studies 2024, 29(3): 321-337. The authors acknowledge that ChatGPT was used as an assistive tool in the creation of this adaptation. See references.