We have all worked with bosses, who you know are making the wrong decisions. And occasionally, we have wondered about the wisdom of our own actions. However, is there some kind of “internal algorithm” that acts as a key indicator to tell us STOP AND THINK?

Over the years as a business coach and mentor in Israel, I have come across many different types of characters in a thrilling array of commercial enterprises. Just about all of them have brought a challenge that has been overcome. In parallel, I like to keep up with how other executives have coped with and triumphed with the demands of their own bosses – the board, investors or even just the marital partner.

I have just finished an autobiography by Mike Malloy, called the Happy Hack. It is a humourous look back at journalism in the UK over four decades.

The most intriguing part of it was the final section, where, as editor of a large newspaper, he details working with the owner, Robert Maxwell. To recap briefly, Maxwell was Czech refugee, who built up a commercial empire, and was sought after by just about everyone in power. However, his methods that brought success also led to his downfall, that saw him raiding pension funds of employees and on to eventual suspected suicide.

Malloy recalls meeting a psychologist, who asked about Maxwell’s characteristics. By the end of the conversation, the diagnosis was that Maxwell shared similar traits to some very unworthy historical notables. Malloy was cautioned to be wary.

One of the questions was:

Does he (Maxwell) micromanage trivial matters but leave important decisions deliberately vague, and then blame others when they go wrong?

Surely top managers would never act in this manner. But just hold that thought! How many times have we seen this in those around us? How often are we guilty of the same crime? And why do we do it? What issue of pain inside ourselves are we trying to cover up, and do so with such intensity?

Well, the rest I will leave to psychologists, but it is food for thought. Fortunately, most of us are in a position to correct our own fault……once we are prepared to recognise it.