Lessons in Reverse: Some of my best teachers unknowingly showed me how to achieve better results—by doing the OPPOSITE of what they did. I salute them!
Lessons in Reverse: How the Opposite Approach Leads to Success
Some people teach you what to do.
Others? They teach you what never to do—by doing it with gusto, in full surround sound, and possibly with a side of passive aggression.
To these unintentional guides in your Hero’s Journey—I say: thank you. Because of you, I now lead better, communicate clearer, and avoid awkward team-building exercises involving trust falls and metaphorical cliff edges.
Let’s explore how reverse mentors make accidental magic.
1. The Anti-Mentor: Teaching by Terrible Example
Ever had a boss who could deflate morale faster than a helium balloon at a porcupine party?
You watched them steamroll meetings, micromanage like a hawk with a clipboard, and weaponize “feedback” like a disgruntled Yelp reviewer.
You didn’t learn how to thrive with them.
You learned how to lead differently—with empathy, encouragement, and maybe even cookies (cookies help).
Sometimes “Don’t do that” is a masterclass in disguise.
2. The “REPRESENTATIVE!” Effect
Reverse mentorship strikes again at… customer service.
That phone call where you yelled “REPRESENTATIVE!” like your life depended on it?
That chatbot loop that made you reconsider your place in the universe?
Congratulations—you now know how not to design a user experience.
You also know this:
➡️ Be human.
➡️ Be helpful.
➡️ Don’t make people cry in aisle 3.
3. A Cringe-Worthy Highlight Reel
There was Passive-Aggressive Pete.
Every email from him read like it had been chiseled into stone tablets by a disappointed librarian.
And Braggy Brenda? She turned every conversation into a one-woman show titled, “Let Me Tell You Why I’m Impressive.”
Thanks to them, I’ve learned:
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Kindness > condescension
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Curiosity > credentials
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Connection > canned speeches
4. The “Oh Nope” Compass
The best part? These lessons stick.
Why? Because cringe has staying power.
Every misstep you witnessed, every awkward moment you barely survived, becomes part of your inner GPS:
Recalculating… avoid their route. Take the scenic one with respect, joy, and listening.
Some teachers stand at podiums with lesson plans. Others show up with drama, chaos, and life lessons you’ll never forget—and make you vow, “I’ll never be that person!”
That internal “Oh Nope” moment? It’s like a compass. It’s that instinctive voice in your head that says, “I’m not doing that!” It recalibrates your direction and guides you away from the mistakes of others toward better choices. Sometimes the best lessons come from watching someone else stumble.
And honestly, that’s still growth.
✍️Note to Self: Not all wisdom is wrapped in wisdom paper. Some of it shows up in cringe-colored packaging—and teaches you exactly what to never do again.
AI Sidekick Alert: Today’s Quote was unpacked and shaped with more than a little help from my brilliant, behind-the-scenes AI tools.
About Tony
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Tony Brigmon | Speaker—Emcee | TonyBrigmon.com
Tony Brigmon is a party animal. He’s been known to stay up well past nine o’clock drinking root beer and telling G-rated jokes. Sure, the neighbors complain, but that doesn’t stop him. Because Tony is serious about having fun. Serious fun, with serious results.
As a result of his questionable spelling skills, Tony learned at an early age that his name spelled backward is “YNOT.” As in, “YNOT take a closer look at his book?” Or “YNOT smile when you should be crying?”
Tony was a Southwest Airlines “Insider” and the former “face” of their renowned culture as their official “Ambassador of Fun”. At Southwest Airlines, “fun” was the power of “positivity” that helped catapult a small carrier into a force that changed the airline industry.
Today, Tony is a popular speaker, emcee, and author of The FUNomenal™ Workplace. (FUNomenal™ is pronounced the same as phenomenal but it’s a lot more FUN.)
Former CEO of Southwest Airlines Howard Putnam says: “Tony has a gift for blending fun and capturing ideas in a manner that sticks for audiences.” Tony’s friends say that no one should have so much fun while sober. Tony’s wife said she has had about all the cheerfulness she can stand.
“Fun” transformed this author’s work and life. YNOT discover if the serious power of fun can transform the next 30 seconds of your day or 30 years of your life?
YNOT arrange to have Tony Brigmon teach you and your team how the power of fun can help you get more done, bring out the best in everyone, and make you irresistibly attractive in your communication with others. You can do this. So, YNOT?
