The Wisdom of Failure: How to Learn the Tough Leadership Lessons Without Paying the Price

FIVE

The Playground in the Workplace

Leaders Who Rule by Bullying

First, an imperative: don’t skip this chapter. If you think of old-school management as just that—old, outdated, a remnant of the days when workers were less empowered, bosses less versed in soft communication skills, and the workforce based more in the factory than in the cubicle—think again. Bosses who are old school—by which we mean those who are either overt bullies or more subtle about it—are everywhere. And if you think the tension between old- and new-school management is obsolete, over and done, you need look no further than NFL Sunday to see the battle continues.

The game: Seattle Seahawks versus New York Giants. As the players fought a tough battle on the field, two other ...