As you know, I have clients across a spectrum of industries. Among them, many in the ‘beauty space.’

If you’re in the beauty-know, you have likely been following the results of the “total transparency” decision at Deciem.

Regardless of your industry, however, the choices made by Deciem’s founder, Brandon Truave, provide a master class in what not to do while running a multi-million dollar company.

Given that, this week’s Wow includes a quick list of Must-Not-Do choices for communication and leadership:

1. Saying “My Bad” isn’t Enough– You have to Make Good:

Truaxe was quick to say he rushed formulations of his beauty products– which is cool. I like accountability. Making the choice to discontinue said-products in an Instagram post was….let’s say uncool. Those who bought and loved them felt simultaneously duped and betrayed. Lesson: It’s great to admit the mistake. It’s even better if you announce a plan to fix it.

2. It’s Better to be a Good Boss than a Bad Friend:

A phrase that sends chills down my spine is, “My son/daughter is my BEST friend.” Um…no. That generally ends in tears—with children who are baffled by shifting boundaries. The same occurred when Truaxe announced he didn’t want to be CEO anymore, he wanted to be known as a “Worker,” a decision which subsequent actions clearly demonstrated was more hocus pocus than focus. Lesson: it’s better to be a super-deluxe CEO than a CEO in “Worker” clothing.

3. (Over) Sharing is Not Caring:

Any post that begins “I was up all night….” should not be sent. Ditto, posts necessitating ALL CAPS. Ditto, any missive that includes, “I was too busy. We were all too busy.” (The same way no one wants a call girl/guy who complains how busy they have been elsewhere, we don’t want to hear how busy you are taking care of others rather than taking care of us.) Lesson: Put the phone down. Get some sleep. You need rest and your followers do, too.

** If you’re wondering about the photo accompanying this post, I’m in Virginia Beach giving a speech and Neptune struck me as someone who would be a terrific boss.

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