# 116: When the Rules Keep Changing - STOP Playing the Game

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-sandbox-strategies-to-uplevel-workplace-communication-team-collaboration-and-your-corporate-culture-5733483/116-when-the-rules-keep-changing-stop-playing-the-game
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-sandbox-strategies-to-uplevel-workplace-communication-team-collaboration-and-your-corporate-culture-5733483/116-when-the-rules-keep-changing-stop-playing-the-game.md
Podcast: [Leadership Sandbox: Strategies to Uplevel Workplace Communication, Team Collaboration, and Your Corporate Culture](https://stenobird.com/podcast/leadership-sandbox-strategies-to-uplevel-workplace-communication-team-collaboration-and-your-corporate-culture-5733483)
Published: 2026-01-08T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://bdc0f7da-6145-4409-af67-3e16c33094df.libsyn.com/116-when-the-rules-keep-changing-stop-playing-the-game
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/bdc0f7da-6145-4409-af67-3e16c33094df/Ep116_When_the_Rules_Keep_Changing_-_STOP_Playing_the_Game_Audio.mp3?dest-id=3579795
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Duration seconds: 705

## Resource

If you're exhausted, it might not be the workload—it might be the "game." In this episode, Tammy J. Bond exposes a common but toxic leadership trap: the environment where success is only explained after the fact. When rules change midstream and expectations shift without notice, even the strongest leaders begin to shrink back, second-guess their decisions, and over-explain their value. Tammy challenges you to stop being a "survivalist" and start being a strategist. Learn how to identify when agility has crossed the line into "power without accountability" and discover why refusing to chase moving targets isn't quitting—it's a prerequisite for great leadership . In This Episode, You'll Discover: The Moving Target Trap: Why "agility" is often used as a mask for a lack of clarity and a refusal to be held accountable. When Confidence Becomes a Liability: The psychological shift that happens when people can no longer predict what success looks like. The "Airplane" Example: A real-world look at how leaders negotiate away their authority by not being in the room where decisions are made. Adaptability vs. Self-Betrayal: How to set boundaries that protect your health and your team's momentum without being "difficult." The Proactive Reset: How to use "curious questioning" to force a pause and reset the rules of the game in your favor. Tammy's Sandbox Truths: "You cannot win in an environment where success is explained after the fact." "Adaptability without boundaries is actually self-betrayal." "You don't lose authority overnight. You negotiate it away." Power Questions for Your "Sandbox Reset": For Self-Reflection: Am I currently rewarding outcomes that I never actually named for my team? For Strategy: Am I waiting for instructions to change, or am I taking responsibility for d…

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## Transcript

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