How good are you at giving instructions?

You know what you are doing and why but does everyone else?

Have you ever felt you appear to be speaking another language?

You tell someone what is needed and yet when you come back it’s not even close to what you expected?

Is it that everyone you are talking to just doesn’t “get” it …

… or could it be you?

 
 

Let me give you two scenarios:

The first …

• You ask one of your team “What’s your favourite colour?”
• You write it down!
• Give them an overall to put on.
• Tell them to put some goggles and gloves on.

Now ask them how they are feeling.

The chances are that they won’t know what’s going on and at best they will feel confused … at worst they’ll feel resentful.

The second scenario you ask one of your team to come forward and say ….

• “We are going to paint the office and we’d like your input …What’s your favourite colour?”
• Write it down!
• Give them an overall to put on saying “Everyone will be helping out so I want to check the overalls fit so, can you try this on please?”
• Give them goggles and gloves to put on and say “Obviously we don’t want any paint to go in your eyes or over your hands so would you mind trying on the goggles and gloves?”

Do you see the difference?

All you did differently was explain what you were doing.

It’s really easy … when you know what you’re doing … to assume that the other person will understand what you want AND why!