LeslieGeorge

21/05/2026

"Let me explain it like this: You are responsible for the whole organization, but you can't run everything by yourself. So you get some people who will be responsible for some things, making decisions on certain matters. Their job will be to manage an area and report to you. They must be competent enough to do so.

The problem that arises most times with this arrangement is that the people you put in charge of an area of concern may make decisions that run counter to what should be done to hit the goals set. They may make decisions that may create problems, not immediate problems, but problems that will come to light eventually.

Your head of a function, for example, may make some decisions that create problems for the organization, and you may not hear of it until it becomes a concern important enough to get to you. So, how do you know of a matter before it becomes a matter of concern that would require intervention from the top to get solved?

Your leaders may lie to you or keep from you anything that may make them appear incompetent or incapable of doing their jobs. They may tell you stuff like, "Everything is under control" when everything isn't. You may see what is going on, but you don't see the decisions that are being made.You must ask yourself the question of what if these guys make terrible decisions that may put us in jeopardy? How will I know on time?"

👆🏿conversation with leaders on the concept of "hands-off" leadership, and why you must adopt the "trust, but verify" mindset.

Leslie George

13/05/2026

We were having a discussion with mentees a while ago. This guy made a claim, a rather bold claim. I suspected he didn't realize the implications of what he was saying, and he sounded unsure, so I asked if what he said was what he meant to say. He said yes. Then I asked, "Are you sure? Because after I tell you what I am about to, I don't want you retracting your submission or saying that you meant something else. What you said is..... are you standing by that?"

By the way, he sees me as a mentor, and I try to help him build a competent, independent, and confident mind.

He looked at me and said, "I feel you are about to embarrass me. I am not saying anything anymore." He retracted his statement. Do you know the crazy part? He was correct, but he didn't know what he was saying well enough to be confident of it being correct. I knew he was correct, and other mentors knew he was correct, but all I wanted to do was get him to confidently stand by his submission.

Here's the point: Whatever you are willing to argue over, know it well enough to defend it in the face of opposition.

Also, it should not matter who you are arguing with, if you are correct. Don't let personalities make you unsure or uncertain. If you are in a conversation with a subject matter expert, and you know what you are talking about for sure, it won't matter who they are. If you are correct, they being experts won't change that. So... be certain!

Leslie George

11/05/2026

02/05/2026

Me: "You are turning this thing into something it is not; something it has no business being. Separate this from how you feel, and connect it to verifiable facts. Saying, "I don't like...", "I don't feel..." isn't helping, because you have facts available, but you keep pointing to how you feel and what you like, completely ignoring the facts."

Manager: "I feel you are attacking me."

Me: "I just told you that you are turning something into what it isn't supposed to be, and your response is to say I am attacking you? That's an attack? So when what you do is pointed out, it is a personal attack? So, you shouldn't be told that you may be wrong in making official decisions, that are supposed to be objective, about you and how you feel? It is an attack to lay the truth at your feet because it speaks against your actions? Really?"

👆🏿 Sometimes, we don't realize that when we base a decision or action on how we feel, or what we like or don't like, we are making decisions subjective; we are making them about us, when they absolutely aren't. If it's your own business, you can do what you want, but if it isn't, it's not good for the business, and it's not a good look.

Leslie George

11/04/2026