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From the Archives: Telling Creates Lazy Thinking

Most of my clients get frustrated that their employees rely on them too much.

 

“Why do I always have to be the one who tells them what to do?”

 

But here’s the thing… We often prefer to tell people what to do because, in the moment, it feels easier AND it makes us believe we’ll get what we’ve asked for…

 

Here’s the deal.

 

It doesn’t work.

 

Have you noticed?

 

Regularly telling our employees exactly what to do fosters the opposite of what we want.

 

Telling creates lazy thinkers.

 

Lazy thinkers become reliant on tellers to tell them what to do.

 

So, the very thing you say you wish your employees would stop doing… relying on YOU to tell them what to do, is actually preceded by YOU telling.

 

So… stop it.

 

Next time someone asks you what they should do, ask them what they think they should do.

 

Ask them to give you their ideas.

 

Ask them to share two solutions they’ve considered.

 

Stop telling.

 

Start asking.

 

Engage their brains so yours can take a break.

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