The Manager’s Phrase Book

Part 4Bad Behavior

Every saint has a past; every sinner has a future.

—Oscar Wilde

Human beings are pretty much the same everywhere you go. Unless you are dealing with a sociopath, most people have their good and their bad sides (yes, that goes for you, too!). This means that you’ll need to be prepared for bad behavior from your direct reports every now and then. It’s important to not be shocked when these things inevitably occur. But it’s also important not to assume that everyone is out to get you or bilk the company for all it’s worth. I think “enlightened realism” is the best approach.

If you want to be cynical, I won’t stop you—but know the toll that this will take on your employees and on the company as a whole. If you don’t trust them, ...