I have found as a manager of software development that the most difficult part of management is to master the art of not saying really stupid things. It’s amazing how you could build a years worth of trust and respect then slap it down by saying something really dumb.
For Example:
1. Not understanding who you are talking to. Don’t dig on a project to the person who is the champion for it.
2. Telling someone that an idea is especially dumb, ill-conceived, overtly costly, not materially impactful, or generally a big waste of resources is only advised once you know where they stand on it.
And most of all: make sure you understand the person you are communicating with prior to passing judgement on anything… Duh.
