The Things Managers Do to Help That Actually Hurt

Good intentions don’t guarantee good leadership. In this shortisode, Kim and Pancho look at management behaviors that often feel helpful to the person doing them, who is clueless about the damage they're doing. Being nice instead of kind, protecting employees from too much reality, tolerating underperformance to preserve morale, overcorrecting or under-directing, avoiding a rocky relationship, and trying to motivate a team that’s already in crisis - all examples of real-world coaching scenarios we've coached leaders through. The common problem is that leaders can become so focused on reducing discomfort that they don't challenge their coworkers and direct reports to grow. Sometimes protecting someone creates fragility. Giving someone space could be interpreted as rejection. Enthusiasm and encouragement in a crisis further agitate people who need a calm person with a plan. This episode is an invitation to reconsider whether your intentions have the effect you intended. Referenced & Recommended Ideas / Resources Radical Candor — Kim Scott Clear Is Kind. Unclear is Unkind — Brené Brown The Golden Algorithm — Joe Hudson / The Art of Accomplishment