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<\/a>related to that person\u2019s priorities?\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t you be more prepared to perform the task knowing the context?<\/p>\n[Email readers, continue here…]<\/em><\/span>\u00a0 I just spoke with an old friend who is in sales.\u00a0 He lamented the fact that his boss recently layered several more sales reports on him to complete each week, reducing his selling efficiency.\u00a0 How many times have we heard this complaint, especially from sales people?\u00a0 I suggested that he go back to his boss and explain that it would be more than just helpful to know why these new reports are needed, that even though the salesman has no need to know, it would certainly make doing the work less of a chore.\u00a0 And by the way, I offered, if the boss could not explain why, there might be an opening to advance the argument that the trade in time between completing the new report and reduced sales call time might be worth a revisit of the order.<\/p>\n How many tasks, reports, and rules hang around the necks of people throughout a more mature organization, which remain as \u201cwhat\u201d without anyone remembering \u201cwhy?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 It is probably as effective a tool for the manager as for the recipient of the order, to explain why<\/em> when telling what<\/em> to do.<\/p>\n Your employees will appreciate the small extra effort, better understand the reason behind the request, and perform the act with more enthusiasm.\u00a0 What\u2019s not to like about that?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Empowering your direct reports with the reasons for your orders gives them incentive to act, motivation to accept authority, and purpose behind action.\u00a0 I try to teach this with the simple phrase that is the headline of this insight. Think … Continue reading