Leadership Groundhog Day: Why Employees Keep Asking for Help but Ignore Advice

​

March 4, 2025

​

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a never-ending loop at work? Like you’re reliving the same conversation over and over because your employees ask for help, ignore your advice, and then come back with the same problem? Welcome to “Leadership Groundhog Day”—the corporate nightmare where logic goes to die.

If you’re nodding along, congratulations, you’re not alone. This is a universal leadership frustration. Let’s break down why this happens, some classic examples, and most importantly, how to finally break the cycle.

​

 

Listen to Episode 10 - Leadership Groundhog Day, available 3/4/25 on Apple Podcasts

 

Why Employees Ask for Advice… Then Ignore It

There are a few reasons why this maddening cycle exists:

 

1. They Think They Know Better

- "I know the boss said to do it this way, but I think I’ll try something else first." Spoiler: it doesn’t work.

 

2. They Weren’t Really Listening

- They hear you, they nod, but the words go in one ear and out the other. By the time they need to execute, the brain file is empty.

 

3. They’re Avoiding Accountability

- If they never fully commit to following advice, they can always blame the system, the market, or their horoscope.

 

4. They Need Their Hand Held

- Some employees simply aren’t confident in their own decision-making, so they’ll keep coming back for reassurance rather than taking action.

 

Sound familiar? Let’s move on to some real examples.

​

 

Real & Theoretical Examples of Leadership Groundhog Day

​

Real-Life Example:

I had an employee dealing with a customer complaint. They asked, "George, what do I do?" I told them: “Apologize, fix the issue, offer a discount.”

A week later? They’re back. "Hey, a customer complained, what should I do?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IT’S THE SAME FORMULA. Should I tattoo this on your arm, so you don’t forget?

 

Imagine if pilots did this:

"Captain, what do we do when we hit turbulence?"

"Steady the controls, adjust altitude."

One week later: "Captain, turbulence again, what do we do?"

Bro, do you want to crash this plane?!

 

Or firefighters:

"Chief, how do we put out a fire?"

"Use the hose."

"Got it." (One week later) "Chief, another fire—what should I do?"

DO YOU THINK WE JUST THROW DIRT AT IT?!

 

This happens in every industry, and it’s the reason leaders slowly lose their sanity.

 

How to Break the Cycle

​

If you don’t want to spend your career repeating yourself, here’s how you escape Leadership Groundhog Day:

​

1. Ask Before Answering

- Next time someone asks for help, flip it on them: "What do you think you should do?" Make them think before you spoon-feed them.

 

2. Write It Down, Point to the Playbook

- If you’re giving the same answer over and over, document it. When they ask again? Send them to the resource: "Did you check the SOP? No? Go read it, then come back."

 

3. Accountability Check

- When they return with the same problem, ask: "Did you follow my advice last time? No? Then why are we here?"

 

4. Teach Problem-Solving Skills

- Some employees were never taught how to problem-solve. Assign them small tasks where they have to work through solutions on their own.

 

5. Set Boundaries

- Have a direct conversation: "I need you to start implementing what we discuss—otherwise, we’re wasting time."

 

Final Thoughts

​

If you feel like Bill Murray waking up to the same crap every day, you’re not crazy. Employees who don’t follow advice are a universal leadership frustration. But if you start pushing accountability, making people think for themselves, and setting clear expectations, you can escape the never-ending loop of Leadership Groundhog Day.

Action step for you: Implement one of these strategies this week and see if you break the cycle.

And if you have your own Groundhog Day stories, send them in. Let’s all commiserate together.

 

Stay Unstifld.

George Nijmeh