“He will write your name in pencil if you don’t meet his expectations or he perceives you crossed him; if it happens again, he writes your name in Sharpie and you never recover.”
These words were said of a leader who also professes to have an open door policy, putting people first, and assuming the best.
But the Sharpie is a trap. When we judge on perception or unspoken expectations, we set our people up for failure.
How does this influence open dialog? Creative thinking? Self-initiation? Testing and trying new things?
Does it foster respective pushback? Can your people disagree with you?
To cultivate a culture of trust and positive intent, there must be no Sharpie.
A one-sided scorecard to keep tally of wrongdoings serves one purpose: discord.
Instead, use action-based accountability, welcome candid conversation, and exercise empathy.
Disappearing ink may be a better tool for marking missed expectations.
All the best,
-Shaun
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