At least an unchecked ego benefits someone.

Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University had an interesting news release headline today:

Boosting Self-Esteem Can Backfire in Decision-Making

According to the release, the group’s research indicates that previously-received praise can make an employee recommit to a bad decision rather than admit a mistake and try a new approach.

I’m sure there’s some truth to that – lots of people don’t like to admit mistakes.

I once assembled an IKEA armoire so that it was unquestionably crooked and whenever someone pointed it out, I said, “Well of course it looks like it’s leaning when you’re looking at it from over there – at a distance!”

But my insistence had more to do with me being completely stubborn and less to do with someone complimenting me on a job well done on the nightstand the day before.

Here’s the thing: some people are just plain bad at admitting mistakes. And other people are bad at realizing that their employees are bad decision-makers.

So maybe the best thing to do isn’t necessarily to question the effect of doling out praise or compliments, but just not let the person in question make any more decisions.

After all, isn’t that the Kellogg School’s main message:

“In one study, participants, acting as senior managers of a large investment bank, received feedback about how rational they were before revisiting a hiring decision. After learning that the person they had hired was not working out, they overwhelmingly recommended spending additional time and money on training, rather than simply acknowledging the poor decision and cutting their losses,” reads the release.

In that case, I hope someone keeps inflating the ego. At least someone wins.

Does this pant suit come with a cape?

I used to have a boss who would call me demanding to know the status of things that I had no idea even existed. I learned to take all of her calls while standing up so that I could reach every single item in my cubicle – including my coat – within three seconds.

When that strategy didn’t work, I’d answer, “I don’t know, but I could find out for you.”

Invariably, this would infuriate her.

She’d demand to know, “Well could you find out?!”

And by the time I would find out – usually several minutes later – her needs would have changed and she would chastise me for calling her directly. And just for fun, she would usually refer to me by the wrong name – Nora.

I used to joke, “My God, when she calls, I feel like I’m answering the Bat Phone.”

Of course, that was just a joke. I never expected RedHotPhones.com to make a phone just to satisfy my needs. And I definitely didn’t expect AbleComm, Inc. to put out a press release with the title, “Now Everyone Can Have a Flashing Red Phone Like Batman.”

“At Wayne Manor, the flashing red Batphone is answered by Alfred the butler, who tells Wayne about the trouble. Then Wayne and his young ward Dick Grayson put on their superhero costumes. As Batman and Robin, they race from the Batcave in the Batmobile to battle evil-doers, or rescue citizens in distress,” reads the release.

So we got the phone - that should help with my battles with corporate evil-doers. Now all I need is the superhero costume.

I mean, that’s all Nora needs.

My dog barks louder than your dog.

While I was an intern, I once had a boss run out of his office, trip over a chair and shout, "I need all the chairs put in storage! We don't sit in a crisis situation!" The crisis that he was referring to was a power outage. In another state.

That day, as I was walking around collecting chairs and wheeling them into the closet - all because New York City didn't have electricity - I realized how valuable my bachelor’s degree really was.

That happened years ago and just as I thought I might have to finally retire the story, I ran into my former boss at a networking event. Thankfully, he had plenty of new material.

“My dog knocked over our Christmas tree,” he said as he positioned himself one inch in front of my face.

“Your dog knocked over the Christmas tree!” I repeated, hoping to attract an audience. “That’s really something!”

Like a moth to a flame, a woman who introduced herself as a miniature poodle owner announced, “My dog ate the Christmas tree.” Apparently her dog did this either immediately before or after he knocked an air valve out of an SUV tire.

As someone who can’t stand losing, my boss countered with, “My dog head-butted a kitchen window screen! It's ruined!”

She said, "My dog is sick right now.”

And I swear, my boss revealed, “Well, my dog is dying.”

Yes, that's what it came down to. And no one can top a dead dog, so don’t even try.

Exchanges like this are what good networking events are made of. So when I found out that a reporter at a national women’s magazine was writing a column about social etiquette during networking, I was tempted to reply.

Specifically, the reporter wants to know, “…about what to do when you run into people you know at a social function. Other than say hello, should you then each go your own way or should you feel obligated to join them/ask them to join you?”

I think the answer should be, “Try to top the dead dog.”