Comments on: WHY??? http://blog.leecockerell.com/?p=39 Lessons in Leadership Tue, 21 May 2013 03:58:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James P. Gilbert http://blog.leecockerell.com/?p=39&cpage=1#comment-2031 James P. Gilbert Sat, 08 Sep 2012 02:20:01 +0000 http://h92311wp.setupmyblog.com/?p=39#comment-2031 re: ". . . we need to know why so that we create the right impression in our minds of people . . . and also so that we know how best to react to a situation which might include coaching, counseling, and discipline. . . ." I like your Asking Why recommendation for leaders. I see that most of your reasons lead to positve approaches to the situation -- coaching and counseling. I think we need to be very careful with the 'discipline' aspect. Certainly there are occassions where discipline is appropriate. My concern lies with the possibility that a manager asks Why? with a consistent penalizing approach. If we ask Why? to find out who is somehow guilty, regularly, then trust is lost. Few people want to work in a situation where a manager is looking to penalize rather than coach & support. Jim re: “. . . we need to know why so that we create the right impression in our minds of people . . . and also so that we know how best to react to a situation which might include coaching, counseling, and discipline. . . .”

I like your Asking Why recommendation for leaders. I see that most of your reasons lead to positve approaches to the situation — coaching and counseling. I think we need to be very careful with the ‘discipline’ aspect. Certainly there are occassions where discipline is appropriate. My concern lies with the possibility that a manager asks Why? with a consistent penalizing approach. If we ask Why? to find out who is somehow guilty, regularly, then trust is lost. Few people want to work in a situation where a manager is looking to penalize rather than coach & support.

Jim

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