Chapter 34 Criticism is a dangerous fuse

As a manager, you must understand the following: The employees we interact with are not purely rational animals, but emotional, prejudiced, arrogant and vain people.Criticism is a dangerous fuse—one that can cause any man's self-esteem to explode, sometimes fatally. Criticize, accuse and complain, that's what any fool would do, and that's what most fools do.Managers who really have good moral character and self-restraint ability are always good at understanding and forgiving others. For example, when General Hood was criticized by others and prohibited from leading troops to the French front, his self-esteem was hit so badly that it almost contributed to his short life.

Harsh criticism once made Thomas Hardy, the best but most sensitive novelist in the British literary world, lose the courage to write novels forever; criticism also prompted the British poet Thomas Cadden to commit suicide. Benjamin Franklin was not very smart in his youth, but he was very talented in diplomacy later, and was even appointed as the US ambassador to France.His secret of success is: "Never say bad things about anyone, only say good things about everyone." "What makes a great man great," said British thinker Carlyle, "is that he knows how to deal with the humble."

So, when you want to persuade your employees to get rid of some bad habits, it is of course out of good intentions, I agree very much, but why don't you start with yourself?Even from a realistic point of view, doing so will be far more effective than improving others, and it will be far less risky. "He who dares to declare war on himself," said the English poet Browning, "is surely a remarkable man." For example, the famous aviator Bob Hoover often performed flying demonstrations at various air exhibitions.One day he was flying back to Los Angeles after a demonstration flight at the San Diego Air Show.As described in Flight magazine, when the plane reached an altitude of 300 feet, both engines died suddenly.Fortunately, Hoover was skilled and piloted the plane to land safely. Although the plane was severely damaged, no one was injured.

After the plane crash-landed, the first thing Hoover did was check the plane's fuel.It turned out, as he had expected, that the World War II-era propeller plane he was piloting turned out to be filled with jet fuel instead of gasoline. Back at the airport, Hoover asked to see the mechanic who had serviced his plane.The young mechanic was mourning the mistake he had made.As Hoover approached him, he burst into tears—his mistake damaged an expensive plane and nearly killed three people. You would have guessed that Hoover would have been furious, and that the famous, honorable and meticulous pilot would have denounced the mechanic for his carelessness?Hoover, however, did not scold him or even utter a word of criticism; instead, he put his arms around the mechanic's shoulders and said, "I trust you will not make another mistake, and I want you to give me another tomorrow." aircraft for maintenance."

Instead of blaming employees, managers should try to understand them with forgiveness and understand why they did what they did. This will be more beneficial than criticism, and it can also generate empathy, tolerance and kindness.If we know everything, we can forgive everything! As the great British writer Dr. Johnson said: "Even God, if the world does not end, he will not judge the world easily." So, as a manager at the top of the organization, why should you criticize employees and subordinates?