* You are not likely to change anyone’s behavior until your first accept him for who he is and what he believes. Imposing your views on someone without first empathizing with him leaves the impression that you are the one opposed to change—not him.

* Assumptions are the brain food of idiots. Without a genuine attempt to understand and accept why another person rejects or opposes your ideas, you will never know enough about that person to motivate her to act differently.

* Organizations would benefit greatly if leaders and followers were to see themselves less as opposing forces and more as corporate citizens working together. The needs and wants of employers and employees should be the same—to prosper by doing good work.

* Sharing critical information in private when it should be stated in public impedes trust building. It also sets you up for blame when others find out you knew something that could have helped the team and you chose not to pass it along.

* Keeping secrets from one another tends to discredit both the leader and the follower. Striving for openness is the best way to restore functionality and regain the respect they both deserve. It’s also the best way to put the rumor mongers out of business.

* Frustration levels increase when people work independently on difficult or complex tasks that should be coordinated. Without a collective agenda there is no clear direction. If the individuals don’t work on it together, the result will be chaotic and confusing.

* The chaos that ensues from less than full participation in the learning process provides an opportunity for people with aggressive, loud, and dominant personalities to take over and impose solutions that may not be the best ones available.