12. Telling People What To Do Often Doesn’t Work
About this Podcast
Does this here sound familiar?
Your direct report is making little progress on a project. You know how to do it, so you try to help by telling her what she needs to do next. You think that we’re all set now and that the project will be completed at lightning speed.
… Except that it won’t.
Next time you check-in, the project is still not coming along and you’re baffled.
Even though you’ve all had hundreds, if not thousands, of experiences when telling others what to do didn’t work, you still hold on to this practice. We all do!
After all, we just want to help!
Yes, we mean well when we give advice. We like the idea that someone solved an issue because of our advice. And it feels good to share our wisdom and knowledge.
But, unfortunately, giving advice as a first reaction rarely leads to the desired outcome. This is because giving advice has flaws and drawbacks that are often overlooked.
So, if you’ve been frustrated with others who didn’t act on your advice then this week’s episode of The Manager Track podcast is for you.
We talk about…
- When advice is actually helpful and when it’s not
- The 2 flaws inherent in giving advice
- What to do to overcome the flaws and get way better results
- And what to pay attention to if advice is indeed the only option
I bet that you’ll gain a new perspective on advice by listening to this episode and that, if you dare to experiment with the ideas, will notice an immediate improvement in your communication with others.
Enjoy the episode and thanks for listening!
The Manager Track podcast is also available in the iTunes podcast app here or in your favorite podcast app.
PS: Email us at ramona@ramonashaw.com to get a copy of the coaching skills self-assessment mentioned in the episode.
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