by. Anthony Demangone

A reader sent me a great email the other day. He said that while he enjoys my columns, I can get a bit “touchy-feely” in my topics.

Managing and leading, he argued, involves being tough in many situations. Empowerment and freedom is great, but there needs to be direction and control.

He is 100% right. But I’m not 100% wrong either.

I think it gets down to to this: Balance.

Throwing out employee handbook, rules and processes in the name of employee freedom and empowerment is silly.  But any more silly than excessive micro-managing?

Always giving encouragement with never a thought given about accountability? Not good. But is that worse than the other extreme?

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