Even if we’d never say them out loud, we all have unconscious assumptions that sometimes get us into trouble. Here are some common ones that i-style managers sometimes make.

• Most people are fine improvising
• People who are quiet and reserved need to be brought out of their shell
• I have to express my feelings when I have them
• If someone shows confidence, they’re probably competent
• I need to fill the silence to keep things upbeat
• The team should keep things positive, all the time
• I shouldn’t jeopardise my popularity
• It’s ok to build up excitement for an idea, even if it’s only a vague possibility
• Showing my enthusiasm will get everyone excited
• Everyone should assume the best, like I do
• It’s better to move on than dig into problems
• Everyone craves excitement
• If I give critical feedback, our relationship will never recover

• We don’t have the stability we need
• We move too fast and quality suffers
• There’s a lot of big talk that goes nowhere
• Problems get glossed over
• Work feels chaotic
• Some of us don’t have the space we need to do our work