We Manage Behaviors & Assume Positive Intent
This month, the Esteemed MBA steps away from tactical “blocking and tackling” and focuses instead on two foundational management philosophies that shape performance, culture, and leadership effectiveness: managing behaviors and assuming positive intent.
Managing Behaviors, Not Results
In most organizations, professionals believe they are evaluated primarily on outcomes. In reality, they are evaluated far more on how they work than what they produce.
The Manager Tools framework articulates this clearly through five work behaviors:
The words you choose
Your vocal tone and inflection
Facial expressions
Body language
The quality and timeliness of your work product
When I introduced this framework to my teams at gap intelligence, the insight was unmistakable: roughly 80% of how we are evaluated is interpersonal, while only 20% is the technical output itself. Accuracy, completeness, and timeliness matter, but professionalism matters more.
We eventually summarized this reality with a simple phrase: “A+ work. Don’t be a jerk.”
Because being difficult, dismissive, or disruptive in the workplace can undermine results just as effectively as poor execution.
For managers, this distinction matters. Managers do not manage results, they manage behaviors that produce results. When leaders fixate solely on outcomes, they risk blaming individuals rather than examining processes. Toyota famously observed that 95% of business failures are caused by flawed processes, not flawed people.
Consider a salesperson who misses quota. Without examining behaviors, calls made, preparation done, meetings scheduled, we may miss critical signals. The shortfall may stem from pricing, market conditions, product gaps, or cross-functional breakdowns rather than effort or intent. Managing behaviors keeps leaders focused on learning, not blaming.
Just as importantly, managing behaviors legitimizes feedback on interpersonal skills. Eye-rolling in meetings, defensive body language, dismissive tone, or visible disengagement all matter, because they account for the majority of how work is perceived and interpreted. Coaching these behaviors is not optional; it is central to leadership.
Communication Is More Than Words
The five work behaviors also remind us that communication is holistic. Research consistently shows that only a small fraction of meaning is conveyed through words alone; tone, expression, and posture carry the majority of the message.
This is why text messages, email, and Slack are among the worst tools for nuanced communication. Without context, negativity fills the vacuum. We have all misread a message and assumed the worst, not because it was intended, but because incomplete information invites negative interpretation.
Face-to-face communication, whether in person or via video, restores context. It allows teams to absorb 100% of the message. If corporate America needs a champion for being in the room together, I volunteer. We sacrifice learning, trust, and cohesion when we remove the human element from work.
Three takeaways on behaviors:
Interpersonal skills are as important as technical output. A+ work. Don’t be a jerk.
Managers must coach behaviors that lead to strong results and correct behaviors that undermine collaboration.
Critical feedback and meaningful praise belong in human conversations, not text threads.
Assuming Positive Intent
The second philosophy we emphasize this month is assuming positive intent, a discipline that strengthens leadership effectiveness and improves personal well-being.
When information is incomplete, humans default to negative assumptions. A late colleague must be careless. A missed deadline must signal disrespect. A short email must reflect hostility. In reality, people rarely come to work intending harm. They are juggling complexity, pressure, and life outside the office.
Negative intent is also impossible to prove. Even if you suspect it, confronting someone rarely produces clarity. And if someone truly has bad intent, they are unlikely to admit it. The pursuit itself is fruitless.
The alternative is both simpler and more effective: assume positive intent. When someone arrives late, lead with concern, not accusation. Ask whether everything is okay. Then explain the impact of the behavior and collaborate on a solution. Feedback delivered from care is received as coaching; feedback delivered from judgment is received as attack.
Beyond the workplace, assuming positive intent makes life easier. The world is not conspiring against us. Mistakes happen. Most people are doing their best as they move through a complicated world.
The Leadership Standard
So let’s raise the standard:
Manage behaviors, not just outcomes.
Communicate in ways that preserve full context.
Assume positive intent, especially when information is incomplete.
These are not soft ideas. They are the disciplines that build trust, accountability, and high-performing teams.
Let’s practice them deliberately.
