This is the mirror test. The uncomfortable one. It’s not about KPIs, strategy decks, or looking good in all-hands. It’s about asking the horrifying question: “Am I actually any good to work for?” Most managers never ask. That’s why the world is full of crap ones.
If you only keep one habit from this whole OS, make it this one. It’s the practice that makes all the others sharper.
The killer question, plus prompts that force honesty.
Confess, reflect, move on. Do not curate for HR. Ever.
Spot and name the small wins before they vanish into the noise.
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Closing Thought
Asking “Would I like to be managed by me?” is like holding up a mirror you’d rather avoid. But it’s also the sharpest tool you’ve got. It makes empathy practical, failures educational, and successes worth celebrating.
And if you’re worried the answer is often “no”, that doesn’t make you a bad manager. It makes you a real one.
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