The biggest management sin of all: how to lose your job or at least deserve to lose it.

• Author: Wiesner, Pat
• Position: ON MANAGEMENT - Viewpoint essay

When I was a kid I loved baseball. I practiced all the time. Across the street from our house was an open field with a small backstop with some heavy chicken wire carelessly nailed up to keep at least some of the balls in the field. The base paths had ruts in them, worsened by rain, but they were base paths and we used them.

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I would play catch with anyone. My dad got me a first-baseman's mitt, and so it was first base for me. I played catch all the time. I even played catch with our house, knocking wooden shingles off in the process and having to help my dad replace them. I could catch, throw and bat with any kid in the neighborhood.

I finally got on a team. I did pretty well during practice and was actually chosen to be the starting first baseman.

The day of the first game came, and I was really nervous. Our pitcher walked the first batter. The next batter hit a ball to short, they got the guy at second, threw to me for the double play and I dropped the ball. The coach, from the third base dugout, hollered in his booming voice for me and everyone watching to hear, "Wiesner, you jerk, do that again and you can go play for your sister's team!"

I played three more games for that guy. Each time I got worse yips, and each time he screamed at me more. I started out thinking I had a good chance of being a real player and ended knowing that I would never be.

I can't blame that coach totally. I was probably never destined for the bigs, but he didn't help me at all to be successful in Little League.

Ever since, I have had an aversion to people who "raise their voice" to intimidate or belittle others. I don't think anyone should waste their time working for a shouter.

How we think about ourselves is our reality. If a boss is trying to lower your self-opinion or self-worth, find another boss.

I had one boss who sat at a desk on a raised...