--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worst mistake a boss can make is not…" description: "\"The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say 'well done'.\" — John Ashcroft" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-ashcroft-9612_boss_the-worst-mistake-a-boss-can-make-is-not_1972852.jpg" --- # The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say 'well done'. ![“The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say 'well done'.” quote by John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-ashcroft-9612_boss_the-worst-mistake-a-boss-can-make-is-not_1972852.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-ashcroft-9612_boss_the-worst-mistake-a-boss-can-make-is-not_1972852.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b8/john-ashcroft-9612_boss_the-worst-mistake-a-boss-can-make-is-not_1972852.jpg) > “The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say 'well done'.” [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging good work boosts morale and performance. **In simple terms:** Saying “well done” motivates staff. Key Takeaway Give sincere praise often. Themes recognition leadership motivation Mood appreciative encouraging Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - performance reviews - project completions Key Concepts organizational behavior psychology Questions to Reflect On - How often do you recognize achievements? - What impact does praise have on productivity? A Different Perspective Praise without constructive feedback can be hollow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Boss Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss-make-2868407/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Mistake Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake-boss-3322223/) [Well done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-done/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Worst Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-mistake/) ## Related quotes > [“What I want the most right damn now it to forget, for one day, that I’m your boss so I can make love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-otto/what-i-want-the-most-right-damn-now-it-to-forget-for-one-day-that-i-m/) [Elizabeth Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-otto/) > [I can have a whole year off. I'm really lucky because I'm my own boss, so I make the rules and get to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharleen-spiteri/i-can-have-a-whole-year-off-i-m-really-lucky-because-i-m-my-own-boss/) [Sharleen Spiteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharleen-spiteri/) > [I always grew up wanting to be a Liverpool player, so obviously when Liverpool players are messaging me - saying well done and good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-pimblett/i-always-grew-up-wanting-to-be-a-liverpool-player-so-obviously-when/) [Paddy Pimblett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-pimblett/) > [“The worst mistake I ever made has become the best thing I ever did. - Darius Wainwright”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-fresina/the-worst-mistake-i-ever-made-has-become-the-best-thing-i-ever-did/) [Jayne Fresina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-fresina/) > [The worst mistake is not to make any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/the-worst-mistake-is-not-to-make-any/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [I'm a father. If my son jumped on a boy in a backyard, it would have been the worst mistake he made that day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrus/i-m-a-father-if-my-son-jumped-on-a-boy-in-a-backyard-it-would-have/) [Tyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrus/) > [The worst mistake you can make is walking away from someone who actually stood there and waited for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda/the-worst-mistake-you-can-make-is-walking-away-from-someone-who/) [Amanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda/) > [You were my worst mistake. Looking into your eyes made me realize you were fake.~~~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-were-my-worst-mistake-looking-into-your-eyes-made-me-realize-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Since we're being brutally honest here you were the worst mistake I've ever had the pleasure of making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-we-re-being-brutally-honest-here-you-were-the-worst-mistake-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake is to not make ANY!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-worst-mistake-is-to-not-make-any/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“In my experience, a castaway’s worst mistake is to hope too much and to do too little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/in-my-experience-a-castaway-s-worst-mistake-is-to-hope-too-much-and/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [The worst mistake a woman can make is to emulate a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-kills/the-worst-mistake-a-woman-can-make-is-to-emulate-a-man/) [Natalia Kills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-kills/) > [One of the worst mistake you'll make is walking away from the person that stood there and waited for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-worst-mistake-you-ll-make-is-walking-away-from-the-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake you can ever make is holding on to something not worth holding on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-you-can-ever-make-is-holding-on-to-something-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The worst mistake anyone can make is being too afraid to make one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-mistake-anyone-can-make-is-being-too-afraid-to-make-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Ashcroft > [An FBI agent ought to be able to surf the net and look for sites that instruct people how to make bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/an-fbi-agent-ought-to-be-able-to-surf-the-net-and-look-for-sites-that/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [The FBI has long been a part of the security for the nation's banks because bank robberies have been a priority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/the-fbi-has-long-been-a-part-of-the-security-for-the-nation-s-banks/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Our priorities should be: recognizing the voice of God and responding to the voice of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/our-priorities-should-be-recognizing-the-voice-of-god-and-responding/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [People who commit crimes should be responsible for those crimes. It doesn't matter whether they're priests or ministers or atheists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/people-who-commit-crimes-should-be-responsible-for-those-crimes-it/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [I decided this early on at Justice: if the traditional way was the most effective way of doing something, then we'd maintain it. 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Only through wiretaps, illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/i-feel-the-best-way-to-ensure-americans-freedom-is-to-tighten/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Frankly, the president, during the first opportunity I had to be in a Cabinet meeting, before we started the meeting, he said, Folks, before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/frankly-the-president-during-the-first-opportunity-i-had-to-be-in-a/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Nothing remains great without a capacity to change and to accommodate the conditions of a changing world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/nothing-remains-great-without-a-capacity-to-change-and-to-accommodate/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [Unique among the nations, America recognized the source of our character as being godly and eternal, not being civic and temporal. 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For me, may I say that it is against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/we-must-embrace-the-power-of-faith-but-we-must-never-confuse-politics/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) [Explore all 71 John Ashcroft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) ## More Boss quotes > [ME AND SUMMER GUNNA BE MOVING IN TOGETHER HELL YA ITS GUNNA BE BOSS!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hawes/me-and-summer-gunna-be-moving-in-together-hell-ya-its-gunna-be-boss/) [Jon Hawes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hawes/) > [“having sex with her boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-henning/having-sex-with-her-boss/) [Stephen Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-henning/) > [Once in a while there's wisdom in recognizing that the Boss is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-in-a-while-there-s-wisdom-in-recognizing-that-the-boss-is/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. 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That will probably be one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguire/i-remember-robin-williams-walked-up-to-me-after-the-last-take-and/) [Roberto Aguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguire/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [Your manager is your boss and tells you what to do, what to wear and who to be, so our relationship changed. I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcdonald/your-manager-is-your-boss-and-tells-you-what-to-do-what-to-wear-and/) [Jane McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcdonald/) > [When I get home, I'm not the boss like I am at work - I slip into a more feminine role. 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