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Morning Minute 4/11/25: (I purposely shortened this video. Please share if you see this as a positive or negative)

"Praise in Public; Criticize in Private"

A few years ago, I was training a group of company leaders via Zoom when something unforgettable happened. One of the executives lost his temper. He became visibly angry and started shouting—then cursing—at one of his managers in front of the entire team. The outburst lasted several minutes, ending with the manager leaving the call.

Here’s what stuck: not the training, not the lesson—but the leader’s meltdown. He lost the respect of his team in an instant. Not because his criticism wasn’t warranted—but because of how it was delivered.

This brings us to a critical management principle:

​Praise in public! Criticize in private!

When you praise in public, you reinforce ​positive behaviors for everyone to see. The individual being praised feels recognized and valued, and the team gets a clear signal of what great performance looks like. It creates positive momentum and morale.

When you criticize in private, you protect a team member’s dignity while still addressing the issue directly. Most people want to improve—when you show you care about their success. Private counseling also helps them understand how their performance affects the team’s success.

Management guru Tom Peters took this further in Thriving on Chaos, where he urged leaders to practice MBWA—Management By Walking Around. By engaging with team members in their space, leaders can offer praise in real time, build trust, and observe challenges firsthand. It's a powerful way to stay connected and lead with your presence.

Of course, there are moments when a team’s performance needs to be corrected immediately—especially for safety or quality reasons. In those cases, address the issue as a team-wide process issue. Focus on what must be done, how, and why. This avoids singling anyone out and keeps the team focused on improvement—not blame.

In a recent Morning Minute, 13 Days to Nuclear Armageddon, I shared how President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev avoided nuclear war by crafting a solution that allowed both sides to save face. Neither side “lost.” Both claimed a win. In leadership—just like diplomacy—helping others save face can prevent escalation and preserve relationships.

The benefits of “Praising in Public; Criticizing in Private”:

• You build people up, instead of tearing them down.

• You reduce tension and eliminate the shame of public criticism.

• You create stronger teamwork, higher performance, and a culture that people crave.

“Praise in Public; Criticize in Private.”

It’s not just a good idea—it’s a leadership essential!

That is today’s Morning Minute.

If you find this message helpful, interesting, and/or informative, please repost this message on social media or share it with others As always, your comments, your questions, and your observations are greatly appreciated! Reach out to me at lab@larryonlearning.com.

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Below are some recent Morning Minutes that you may have missed containing usable ideas and instruction on topics such as leadership, personal improvement, team building,

​"Decisions Always Create Consequences!" Our decisions can create both long & short term consequences. Discover 2 examples; one in business and one in a family life situation that explain this concept. Learn how that our decisions not only affect ourselves and others today...they can create consequences far into the future.

​"13 Days To Nuclear Armageddon!" Today's message tells the story of the closest the world has ever been to nuclear war. Learn the lead up to this confrontation, the nuclear armed confrontation, the negotiations, and the settlement that avoided nuclear war. Discover the leadership, strategy, and the process that was involved to avoid a nuclear Armageddon!.

​"Knowing Isn't Enough...Life Rewards Action!" Gaining knowledge as you get more information is a passive activity. Because life rewards action, knowledge is of little use without action. Discover how to use the knowledge you have gained to make a meaningful impact. Learn how that courage, humility, and resilience help you be the change you are trying to create!

​"Caring, Competence, and Courage!" This video explores these 3 major attributes of those who led great teams to accomplish extraordinary results. Discover the stories of Henry Ford, George Patton, Paul Bryant, and Ralph Jordan an how the qualities of Caring, Competence, and Courage helped them to build great teams! Learn why you need these to become a truly great leader!

​"When Should You FLOOD The Zone?" Discover the 3 methods for taking an organization from losing to winning. Learn the "consultative" method, the "flood the zone" method, and one that uses some of both. Review a true story of using the flood the zone method that rescued what would have been a botched new business opening.

​"Get Out Of YOUR Comfort Zone!" In life, the only thing guaranteed is...CHANGE! Learn how to anticipate and to plan for change in order to benefit from it. Learn how this process was used successfully by Gen. George Patton in the Battle of the Bulge! And remember to Be The Change You Are Trying to Create!

May God bless you, your family, and your team. And, may He continue to bless the USA!

Larry A. Bonorato 864-630-2625(text/cell) lab@larryonlearning.com(email)