George Cloutier gives business advice to small- and medium-sized businesses. Bad advice. From what I read in this article — Fire Your Employees. Scare Your Relatives. And Stop Whining — he gives what I consider the worst business and HR advice I’ve ever read. A sampling: “Fear is motivating.” Really?
He is wrong. I’ll write more about it tomorrow. Here’s a hint: You work with adults. Treat them that way.
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profit is everything? astounding. i look forward to what you write next. i prefer this article on the “old school” wall street guys counseling for more regulation, and therefore, potentially less profit. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/business/17volcker.html?ref=todayspaper
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I’ve got 100 reasons this guy is wrong.
I’m looking forward to reading your reply. Incidentally, my husband was told recently by his company’s HR Manager that he should function at work as if he’s afraid of losing his job. Great morale booster there, you think? BTW, my husband also happens to be a disabled veteran. In one instance the HR Manager is asking what accommodations they can make for him, and in another he’s being told to be afraid for his job. This is so wrong on so many levels.
Thanks for the heads up on this Frank.
I started reading it and was formulating all of the funny retorts that I would proffer in this comment space at KnowHr.com. Maybe half way through I became so disgusted I just stopped reading and don’t feel so funny.
Again thanks, this was a great message to be aware of, but only in a small doseage.
ditto to Bill’s comment. Profit may be everything, but motivated employees committed to your org’s success are a HUGE driver of that profit. Also, anyone who admits that “(they’re) a big advocate of micromanagement” needs to be slapped in the face.
His management style is what’s known as “Active management by exception.” It’s the 3rd most primitive form of management, after “Passive management by exception” and “dead.”
How effective is it? 3 marriages, 0 kids.
That there kinda says it all.
Jason, thanks for the descriptor. I was going more with “jagoff.” Yours sounds nicer.
Honestly, that guy got a book deal to tell some of the worst management advice on the planet. Really? What was the publisher thinking?
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