No Need to Shout

Have you ever had a boss who shouted? Did you like that? Did it make you work better?

Fortunately, most of my bosses have been exemplary leaders, with no need to shout. I have had a couple who would raise their voice and each time that they did it seemed to do more harm than good. People may respond to agitation with urgency, but at a tremendous cost. Over the long haul, shouting at people wears them out.

High performance leaders establish expectations far ahead of any crisis. They conduct conversations on goals, on performance, on the mission, on customer experience, on the plan. Gentle reminders are necessary, of course. Direct feedback on behavior is a given. But shouting?

The better leaders need not raise their voices.

-- doug smith

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