Know when to say "that'd be worth a whoopin'" (Robert's Rule #22)

In my family history, the tale is told of one particularly mischievous child who, after considering the possible consequences of a specific action would say "I believe that'd be worth a whoopin'" (a "whoopin", for those uninformed in southern American slang, is similar to a whipping but is given with anything close at hand - a belt, a switch, kitchen utensils, et cetera).

We are faced with decisions every day.  As technologists, the decisions that we face often have consequences which reach much further than those of other decisions. As leaders, one of the most cowardly things you can do, and one of the things that will destroy the morale of your team, is to try to deflect the consequences of your decisions, a technique commonly referred to as "throwing someone under the bus".

Make no mistake, there will be times in your career when your work, and life, will laud you for visionary thinking and there will be times when work, and life will punch you in the face, hard. Whether lauded or castigated, of one thing you can be sure, there will always be consequences.

While I know that most civilized people have moved beyond corporal punishment, my ancestor's concept still holds some validity, even when the 'whoopin' is metaphorical. Consider your options and make your decision. Just know when to say "that'd be worth a whoopin'" (Robert's Rule #22).