Here are 7 things I learned from a poor management experience:
- Never send an email (today’s memo) to correct an action.
- Never over-react to a minor issue.
- Never make a policy to correct a single error.
- Never single someone out publicly who hasn’t been talked to privately.
- Never punish everyone for the mistake of one.
- Never act like it’s not a big deal if you think it’s a big deal.
- Never be so weak as a leader that you fail to address the real issue, or the real problem, even if the real problem is a person.
I am certain I have repeated each of these myself at times, but the experience truly did shape my leadership and management practices. The best thing this experience did for me was give me a principle I have used and often shared with other leaders:
If you need to slap a hand, bring a ruler and show up in person.
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