What your employees won’t tell you—but you really should hear

Maybe they’re conveying these insights (and cries for help) telepathically, through body language, or by blinking in Morse code. In any case, here are some things you ought to know.

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Sometimes the most essential bits of information are left unsaid.

How many of the following might apply to you?

1. “If you can’t be a good boss to me, nothing else matters.”

Regardless of what else you and I may have in common—hobbies, educational background, sense of humor, political party, general world view, or even religion—if you can’t manage me well, I don’t give a damn about it.

First and foremost, you’re my boss, and if your lousy management gets in my way instead of helping me out, you can take your compliment about my taste in clothing and stick it where the sun don’t shine.

2. “If you ever forget that I’m a human being, all bets are off.”

Your position as my boss does not give you license to talk down to me, bully me, or otherwise abuse me.

You’re not my parent, and I don’t care to be controlled by you as though I’m incompetent or incapable of contributing to the company in a meaningful way.

If you can’t treat me with the respect due any living person, I will shut you out and do only what I must to keep my job. Forget about “going the extra mile” or anything close to it. I’ll only bestow that type of loyalty on someone who’s earned it.

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