First of all, I’m not sure who created these Golden Rules, but they do not apply to a majority of work environments. They do not take into account the size of the company, the number of employees, or the style in which the business is managed. I will focus on a “not so Golden Rule” that I strongly disagree with. Rule 2. Cater to every need – make it easy, not hard, for people to perform. I don’t believe the best results come from catering to every need of an employee if you are a manager/owner. It is a manager’s duty to point their employees in the right direction, but to provide them with everything they need is just not practical, and in some cases, impossible. Also, the more dependent an employee becomes on a manager, the less adequate he will be on his own. It is essential to provide the proper training and possible resources for success, but to cater to someone’s needs builds dependency, and discourages resourcefulness. A manager should reinforce the idea that being able to find answers is just as good as knowing all the answers. If you catch a fish for a man, he can eat for a day. If you teach him how to fish, he can eat for life.
Here is a true Golden Rule that should be added to this list: Praise publicly, reprimand privately. When someone does well, let everyone in the company know. This will create a positive image for the employee and boost his morale tremendously. To let someone know that they are appreciated is a tool that is slowly forgotten and left unused. Public praising creates a culture of positivity and motivation. Other employees will strive for the same recognition, which in return, will increase productivity. However, if an employee does the opposite, a manager should reprimand in private. This will ensure the idea that it is not acceptable to have reoccurring mistakes. Since the employee is held accountable, he should make an effort to avoid further reprimands. The reason it is done in private is because the point of a reprimand is to encourage the employee to get back on track without embarrassment or shame.