We can tell people what to do (or ask them forcefully) and it can cause them to act or to change their behavior as we had wished. But it won’t work for very long.
People may go along with our demands, at first, because we are the authority and because they, like all of us, prefer being polite. Soon, though, people’s resistance will wear down their senses of duty and decorum. They may get aggressive, belligerent, or direct. They may passively ignore or minimally comply. Or they may check out or leave altogether.
Why? Because none of us wants to be told what to do. We just don’t like it and will resist it any way we can.
Despite the temptation to just tell ’em, it’s actually more effective and efficient to slow down and coach them through it (as here).
In your corner,
Mike
PS: And, yes, this applies even when the other person clearly should know better and just do their job.
PPS: Go for win-win.
Today’s photo credit: Anna~Martin via photopin cc