Harvard Business Review LogoCalvin SpragueSummary. Misconduct at work is often treated as a simple problem, yet research shows it is anything but. Drawing on more than 250 studies, Michael J. Gill of the University of Oxford finds that employeesWhen a rule gets broken at work, a leader’s first instinct is to act fast. The business response feels obvious: punish the offender and move on. But it’s rarely that simple.A version of this article appeared in the July–August 2026 issue of Harvard Business Review.
How the Best Leaders Respond to Rule Breaking
Misconduct at work is often treated as a simple problem, yet research shows it is anything but. Drawing on more than 250 studies, Michael J. Gill of the University of Oxford finds that employees break rules for a wide range of reasons, including personal gain, pressure from their environment, and a desire to help others. For leaders, the key is to not rush to judgment and to understand why the behavior is happening. Many violations that look harmful on the surface are driven by positive intent or flawed policies, and patterns of misconduct often signal deeper issues with incentives or expectations. Executives who respond to rule breaking with curiosity instead of assumptions are better positioned to address its root causes.
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