McTeer’s Management Maxims
Praise in public; criticize in private.
Criticize the deed, not the person.
Hire people smarter than you.
Read the reports.
Don’t expect people to take your advice and ignore your example.
Anonymous complaints demonstrate lack of courage as well as lack of trust.
It’s no great accomplishment to spend other people’s money.
One of your employees’ greatest needs is to be appreciated; so say “Thank you” a lot.
Catch your people doing something right.
They don’t build monuments to negative people.
Leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.
Keep expectations high and overhead low.
When writing a memo, remember that the Gettysburg Address had only 272 words. (Or was it 271?)
Remember, bad as it is, there are people who would like to have your job.
Believe it or not, some PC’s still work after they are fully depreciated.
A lot of what a man knows, a woman knows better.
Your boss probably is smarter than he seems to you. You are probably smarter than you seem to your subordinates. Remember, we’re all we’ve got. We’d better stick together.
(Which reminds me of Casey Stengel’s advice on management: Keep those who hate your guts away from those who are still undecided.)
Contrary to popular belief, most promotions don’t result from showing up the boss. The opposite usually works better.
Speaking of promotions, they depend not only on merit, but also on opportunity and circumstances, which don’t always coincide with our readiness.
“Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise.”
Ted Turner
Asking questions is a sign of intelligence, views to the contrary notwithstanding.
Wear your name badge where people can read it—usually on the right side so it comes forward when you shake hands.
The thing you stand behind when you make a talk is a lectern, not a podium. You stand on a podium. (Most people don’t know that.)
There is no prize given for the most business travel during the year. Besides, it’s bad for your back.
There is no prize given for shooting down the most new ideas or suggestions. Give one a sporting chance occasionally.
If someone reporting to you is not cutting it, are you going to tell him so he knows what changes are needed? Or, do you plan to surprise him one day by firing him?
Are your standards of performance so low that everyone reporting to you is meeting them without stretch?
Have you allowed some of your people to retire on the job? Why not wake them up and rescue them?
Are you unhappy in your job? If so, make sure the right people know it from you and try to work it out. If you can’t work it out, consider leaving. Life is too long (or is it too short?) to stay in a job you don’t like.
“Too long” and “too short” appear to mean the same thing. Go figure.