The Gift of Bad Examples
Back when studying teaching in the murky depths of the last millennium, when introducing a new concept we were advised to: • Name it • Define it • Identify and discuss its qualities • Show examples • Show non-examples This idea is explained here , and some examples of this in practice are here and here and here . I’ll admit I was rather taken by the idea of non-examples . They clarify boundaries, and eliminate fuzziness. They are a powerful way to learn. I’ve been wondering lately whether this is also true for some leadership competencies? Might it be easier to learn from non-examples… or bad examples… than from good examples? To illustrate: Have you ever had a manager who avoided making decisions? Decisions that NEEDED to be made? It's painful! It’s a non-example of good leadership. This kind of experience strengthens my resolve not to be like that, but to make decisions in a timely fashion. At the other extreme, have you ever known a leader who rushed to ...