Why Leaders Must Look Beyond Behaviour: Using REBT to Understand Beliefs

Why Leaders Must Look Beyond Behaviour: Using REBT to Understand Beliefs

Jul 08, 2025

In fast-paced, high-pressure workplaces, leaders are often trained to identify and respond to behaviours—missed deadlines, resistance to change, poor communication. While addressing behaviours is necessary, stopping there can leave the root cause unaddressed. That’s where Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) provides a powerful lens.

REBT teaches us that behaviour is driven by beliefs. If we want meaningful, lasting change, we must look deeper—beneath the surface of what people do, to understand why they do it.

Case Study: The Resistant Team Member

Sophie was a team leader in a mid-sized construction firm. One of her most capable project leads, Mark, had started pushing back against new digital systems the company was adopting. He avoided training sessions and openly questioned the changes in meetings.
Sophie’s initial reaction was frustration—she saw Mark’s behaviour as resistant and negative. She considered putting him on a performance plan. But before taking action, she used an REBT lens to look deeper.
She asked herself:

  • What might be driving this behaviour?
  • What belief could Mark be holding that’s leading to this resistance?

In a one-on-one conversation, Sophie learned that Mark believed:

“If I don’t immediately master this new system, people will think I’m incompetent.”

This belief was causing anxiety and defensiveness—not defiance.
Once Sophie understood the belief behind the behaviour, she was able to respond with empathy, reassurance, and support. Mark didn’t need discipline—he needed encouragement and a safe environment to learn at his own pace. Within weeks, his engagement improved dramatically.

3 REBT-Informed Tips for Leaders

1. Get Curious Before You React

Pause before jumping to conclusions. Ask yourself, “What belief might be driving this behaviour?” Often, it’s not defiance—it’s fear, uncertainty, or a perfectionistic demand.

2. Use the ABC Model

  • A = Activating Event (e.g., a new process)
  • B = Belief (e.g., “If I can’t get it right quickly, I’m a failure.”)
  • C = Consequence (e.g., shutdown or resistance)
  • Help your team unpack these connections. Invite them to explore their beliefs without shame or judgment.

3. Normalise Struggle and Reframe Failure

Create a psychologically safe environment where mistakes are part of learning. Model flexible beliefs like, “It’s okay to not know everything at first” or “Struggling doesn’t mean you’re not competent.”

Final Thought

Behaviour is what we see—but belief is what drives it.
When leaders shift their focus from behaviour alone to the beliefs underneath, they create workplaces that are not only more effective—but more human.

Leaders who understand beliefs create teams that thrive through change, not fight it.