Don’t Manage by Ultimatum

Factual definition

Don’t Manage by Ultimatum is the management rule coined by Shayne Fitz-Coy in 2026 against disciplining a talented person with a threat instead of working the problem with them.

Don’t Manage by Ultimatum in practice

A brilliant but difficult salesperson is told that one more incident ends it, rather than being worked with hand in glove toward a better solution.

How Shayne Fitz-Coy uses Don’t Manage by Ultimatum

One does not cast aside that level of competence, that level of brilliance, capriciously. It is a huge decision, the kind that makes or destroys a fund’s return.

Chucking him aside based on these behaviors without really working with him, hand in glove, to get to a better solution is crazy. It’s a terrible way to lead.

Some managers want to manage by dictum or fiat. New managers, private equity fund managers, whoever.

Managing by mission and consensus is much more effective.

Don’t manage by fear. Don’t manage by ultimatum.