Month: February 2011
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Micromanaging Destroys Initiative
Control is the opposite of trust. This is a challenge for managers who believe they have the clarity to see the right decision for those they manage, yet see their employees going the “wrong” direction. Often they decide to use their control to influence the situation, robbing others the chance to learn from experience and…
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Judging a Book by Its Cover
I chuckled when this picture was sent to me. The depiction seems obvious and shocking from the perspective of a first grader. I really laughed though when I read the story that went along with it… A first grade girl handed in the drawing below for her homework assignment. The teacher graded it and the…
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The Anti-Example
I remember thinking, “If I say this, it will be really obnoxious.” And then saying it. This adolescent stage lasted until I turned 16. I remember distinctly when it ended because at the same time my brother turned 12, entering this same stage. Faced with his new-found obnoxiousness, I realized just how annoying I was…
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Adapting to Life
Waiting for a bus, you’re reading the newspaper. There was a tragic accident where the driver became paralyzed. Horrified, you anxiously read the next article about a mechanic who just one the lottery. Your friend sitting next to you says, “I’ll bet you $100 that two years from now, the two of them will be…