Ignited: Managers! Light Up Your Company and Career for More Power, More Purpose, and More Success

Chapter 12. Ignition Point 7: The Spirit

The Power of the Healer

Bad managers ignore the emotional dynamics of their teams. They try to fix most problems by employing fear (“Get this project done on time or else!”) or incentives that are simplistic and ham-handed (“Get this project done on time and you’ll earn a bunch of brownie points!”). A manager like this induces spasms of eye-rolling and behind-the-back joking from his team members—as you know if you’ve ever had the misfortune of working for one.

By contrast, smart managers treat every situation as a unique circumstance—not just from a business standpoint, but also from a personal standpoint. They recognize that business problems can’t be defined solely in terms of profit or loss, sales or ...