If you were to work for a person who made every decision and dictated how every task would be done, how would that make you feel? Would that inspire you to put forth your best effort? Would you go the extra mile in the face of challenges? Would you look for opportunities to improve how things are done? Or would you likely sit back and wait for instructions pertaining to even the smallest decisions?
If you’ve been a directive boss, you’ve already done some damage. People will be conditioned to expect that you’ll make every decision and supply directions as to how you want something done. By shifting to asking team members these two questions, you’ll give them the chance to show you that they know what to do and how to do it. This can be empowering and motivating, and they’ll feel more respected.
If you’re a team member who’s always being told what to do and how to do it, what can you do to improve how your boss treats you? Proactively use these two questions. Don’t simply dump a problem on your boss and wait to be told what to do. Good leaders find this frustrating.
Tell your boss what the situation is, and then tell him or her what needs to be done and how you’ll do it. As the boss develops trust in your judgment, he or she will concur with your approach. Eventually the boss will just ask to be notified about what you did. Be patient, though. Sometimes the boss may have information you don’t or a specific reason why things should be done differently.
Bosses and team members both can benefit from asking these two attitude-changing questions. If you take the initiative, you may see immediate changes, or changes may take a little time. It all depends on individuals involved and how much previous damage was done.
