Avoid Doing Dumb Stuff
(Posted on Wednesday, July 23, 2025)
It sounds simple. Maybe even a little obvious.
But after decades in business, I can tell you — this one principle will save you more pain, damage, and clean-up than just about any leadership advice out there:
Avoid doing dumb stuff whenever possible.
So let’s define what I mean by dumb stuff.
I’m not talking about complex ethical dilemmas or legal gray areas that require special training.
I’m talking about the obvious mistakes. The kind that are easy to avoid if you just use common sense. The kind that blow up careers, reputations, and teams—not because they were hard to see coming, but because someone didn’t stop to think.
Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of it lately.
Exhibit A: The Coldplay “Kiss Cam” Incident
You probably saw it in the news. A company event. A public moment caught on camera between two senior leaders. One of them the CEO. The other, the Chief People Officer.
What started as a “kiss cam” moment turned into a viral headline—and a corporate crisis.
The fallout?
- Reputational damage.
- Possible executive departures.
- Customer trust shaken.
- Investors asking tough questions.
It’s not just a messy moment. It’s a mess with real-world consequences.
This Isn’t a Morality Rant
I’ll be the first to admit: I’ve made my share of dumb mistakes. Early in my career, I was lucky enough to learn hard lessons in private, long before every misstep could go viral.
So I’m not throwing stones.
But I am telling you this: the worst mistakes I’ve made were always self-inflicted.
And in most cases? Totally avoidable.
Sometimes the dumb stuff is your own doing. Other times, it’s someone else trying to pull you into theirs.
Either way, you have a choice.
Here are a few rules I’ve learned over the years—none of them revolutionary, but all of them worth following.
Rule #1: Treat Coworkers and Direct Reports Like Customers
Be respectful. Be kind. Be curious.
You can be warm without being overly familiar.
You can care about someone’s life outside of work without crossing boundaries.
Let them set the tone for how personal the relationship gets—but always keep a bit of professional distance.
Trust me, you’ll avoid a lot of blurry lines this way.
Rule #2: Avoid Romantic Relationships at Work
Yes, some companies allow it. Yes, some people meet their spouses that way.
But if either person is in a position of leadership or influence, especially in small or mid-size companies, this is almost always a powder keg.
Even if the relationship is healthy, it creates dynamics that affect the rest of the team—whether you realize it or not.
And if it ends poorly? You’re left with a professional situation that’s nearly impossible to navigate cleanly.
Rule #3: Illicit Relationships? Off the Board. Period.
It doesn’t matter how consensual it seems.
If you’re sneaking around with coworkers or team members, especially across reporting lines, your career has a ticking clock on it.
When it comes out—and it almost always does—it will become the headline that defines you.
Rule #4: Don’t Drink at Work Events
Not at happy hour. Not at a team dinner. Not even at the holiday party.
It’s not about being uptight. It’s about being smart.
Alcohol changes your judgment. That’s fine in personal life, but in a work setting, especially when your reputation is on the line?
It’s just not worth the risk.
If you want to have a drink, save it for the weekend with friends or family.
Let’s Go Back to the Boardroom
Now imagine you’re on the board of the company from the Coldplay kiss cam incident. These are the questions you’d be asking:
- Was this a company-sponsored event?
- Were clients or employees present?
- Had this behavior happened before?
- Was there an ongoing relationship between the executives?
- Do other employees know—or suspect—anything?
- What does this signal about our internal culture?
Those questions don’t stay internal. They impact:
- Customers
- Recruiting
- Public perception
- Shareholder confidence
And all because of one moment. One decision. One piece of dumb stuff that was totally avoidable.
Reputations Are Fragile
You can build trust for 20 years.
You can lead with integrity, deliver results, and build an incredible team.
And it can all be undone by one lapse in judgment.
That’s the real danger of dumb stuff: not that it’s hard to avoid, but that it’s so easy to fall into.
So here’s the takeaway:
Use your head. Protect your reputation. And don’t let one dumb decision be what people remember about you.
Because when people talk about leadership, they don’t just talk about what you built—they talk about how you handled yourself when no one was watching.
Make it something you’re proud of.