Someone you are managing is underperforming.
He feels inadequate and attributes the feeling to you.
Tells HR you’re an A-hole.
A few others say he’s right.
Later we find the handful of people who think you’re an A-hole are under-performers.
Everyone else thinks you’re a good person with high standards.
Let’s assume you are a good person.
The folks who complained made a judgment error.
They believe you’re an A-hole but you’re not.
It’s not personal.
It’s a judgment error, a bias, like seeing patterns in coin flips.
One of the best ways to correct a bias is to give it name.
Let’s call this one a Type I Error.
It sounds impersonal.
