Gerry,

Superb advice here. Your other point about let others speak first is related to the single-most important thing I’ve learned about how to manage effectively: lead by asking. If you have an idea about what course of action would be best, ask well-crafted questions that will likely cause others to ‘come up’ with the plan idea you may already have. In this manner, the idea will become owned by those you lead, and you will learn things in the process that may cause you to improve on the plan. Plus you will not come across as a know-it-all to your own people, a significant by-product. A win all the way around.

-Karen