Leadership - Praise In Public, Scold In Private…

Nothing is gained by handing someone their head in front of their co-workers. On the other hand, praise for individuals in the presence of their teammates can be a powerful motivator. I don’t recall the first time I heard this phrase, nor who said it. I was young, maybe just a teenager, but it made an impression and has stuck with me. It makes all the sense in the world. Public praise builds confidence. Public sc...olding has the opposite effect. I know there are a lot of leaders who might disagree. They feel the exhibition of power via a public chastising of one individual can send a message to others. They are right; it does send a message, the wrong message. It is not necessary to lead by fear and intimidation. There are ways to communicate a firm message to a group without calling out one person. The positives of scolding in private far outweigh any benefits of doing so in front of a group. Truly successful leaders understand this concept. The best part of adhering to this philosophy is the resulting loyalty. People appreciate being treated this way. They respect leaders who deliver positive feedback in public and the negative one on one behind closed doors.

Leaders vs. Managers

The MMM will delve back into some leadership topics in the coming weeks. As many of you know it is a favorite topic of mine.

Leaders vs. Managers

A lot has been written comparing leaders and managers. There are lists of the character traits of both. I think some people believe that one cannot be both. I actually believe that good managers are good leaders. I have always said that you lead people but you manage things. It is a variation on the below quote.

Lead and inspire people. Don't try to manage and manipulate people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead. --Ross Perot

People are led. Processes, systems, things and situations are managed. People respond and move towards common goals when they are led well. They fail and wander when managed and manipulated. No matter your title, consider yourself a leader of people not a manager of things!

Revenge

Revenge can be a very misguiding motivator in the business world. Healthy business competition is a good thing. This country was built on it. Revenge, however, is an unhealthy motive in business, as well as in our personal lives. Revenge distorts ones’ vision and causes us to lose focus. It leads to actions and decisions inconsistent with solid business goals and values. Business initiatives and decisions should be checked to confirm their support of the corporate mission. If they are found to be simply for the sake of revenge they should be avoided lest they weaken the meaning of the mission. Don’t let revenge drive your business decisions.

An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
- Mohandas Gandhi

What Is fair?

Life is not fair. We are not promised it to be fair by our God, parents, teachers or anyone else. But we spend a lot of time talking about what is fair and what is not fair. Our kids whine about being treated unfairly, and there is a lot of political talk about fairness. Equality is one thing. Certainly we have equal rights and we should not discriminate. I heard a former NFL coach say once that he “treated his players fairly, but not equally”. That is an interesting viewpoint I think. We should all strive to treat people fairly and equally. But, we should know that we will not always be treated that way ourselves. The sooner we grasp that and teach our families and co-workers to embrace it as well, the easier we can all live work and play together. Consider the primary definition of fair. Fair - adjective, fairer, fairest. 1. free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice: a fair decision; a fair judge. We all know that life is not “free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice”. Those conditions are simply not a guaranty in this life. This is important to understand as leaders, parents and companions. Life is not fair. Don’t let children, co-workers and friends get too carried away expecting it to be. Fair is a place where hogs are judged!