Monday, September 16, 2019

Playing with the Lives of Others


Playing with the Lives of Others

I hope this title makes you stop and think, as it did me.  I got it from a management book published in 1985.  The book’s title is 13 Fatal Errors Managers Make and How You Can Avoid them by W. Steven Brown.

I want to focus on this idea for a few minutes.

Whether you are a manager, leader, President, Emperor, King of the World, or husband or wife, if you have even one other person in your life, you need to come to grips with this concept.

In all of the roles listed above, we have an obligation ~ OBLIGATION to gain the necessary knowledge to liberate people to be their best, do their best, and become their best.  We have to set people free to discover who they are and what they can become. 

We are not lords.  We are not ogres.  We are not ‘god of the land’.  We are simply shepherds, guides and mentors for this moment in time in their lives.

Try and drive your charges and watch them race for the nearest exit. 

What if you offered …

~A listening ear
People want to be heard, recognized.  Spouses and employees need this.  They want to know they matter.

~Eye contact.  They want to be seen.  If you avoid eye contact, you come across as shifty, mistrustful, and people can spot that attitude in a New York minute.

~A clear understanding of expectations.
Does your spouse know your likes, wants, how you want your t-shirts folded, how you like your bacon cooked?
Do your employees know how you feel about tardiness and how much of a grace period you allow? 

We play with the lives of others when we aren’t clear about the critical aspects of a task or a relationship. 

Is it okay to ask questions when one does not understand?  Is it okay for you and your partner to agree to disagree?

What is your attitude of the critical individuals in your life?  Do they know they are cherished, trusted, wanted and believed in?

These are just a few thoughts on this critical topic. 

People never want to be manipulated. 
People LOVE to be treated with respect, kindness and trust, and they love to be heard!


This is what is
on my mind today.


P Michael Biggs
Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

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