Direction, or directions?

The best executive is the one who has the sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. Theodore Roosevelt 1858 – 1919 Do you want to be a better manager, parent or relationship partner? If your relationships with your employees, co-workers, friends or relatives aren’t what you’d like, here’s a good way to improve: ask yourself this question: “Do I give direction, or directions?” That question may sound too simple or too subtle, but the answer could lead to a huge change in …
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I’ll do it myself

Anybody, anywhere in the world, all they want is to be free, to choose what they want to do without having someone tell them how to do it. Freida Pinto 1984 – Have you ever tried to feed a two year old (hoping to get the food in their mouth and not on the floor), only to be rebuffed? Around that age, children start exhibiting a desire to be in control of their lives; they want to do things for themselves. At the other end of the spectrum is elder care. If you’ve ever been a caregiver, you know that …
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Who knows best?

Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement. Daniel Pink 1964 – As a parent, friend, relationship partner or manager, do you try to force those in your circle of influence to do things the way you think they should be done? I’ll answer first. I admit that I’m often guilty of thinking I know best. If you’re honest about it, I suspect that you’ll also confess to behaving this way at least some of the time. But even though we think we know what’s best, we may actually be setting the person up for performing below their potential. In …
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