Unless You Are An Army Officer, You Can Get Better Results By Requests Than You Can..

[draag]

UNLESS YOU ARE AN ARMY OFFICER, YOU CAN GET BETTER RESULTS BY REQUESTS THAN YOU CAN BY ORDERS.

Armies spend endless hours training people to follow orders without question.
It's an essential quality in a soldier. In everyday life, however, things don't
work that way. Business, political, and civic leaders have learned that ordinary
people will perform exceptional tasks when they are asked-not ordered-to do so.
Even when you are managing other people, you will achieve far more if you
convert every order to a request. Introductory phrases such as,
"Would you mind . . ." or "Could I ask your assistance in . . ." or the always
effective "Please . . ." will ensure success far more often than intimidating
those who work for you. And when you need help from those whose paychecks you do
not control, you will find them far more responsive to requests than to orders.

"Successful People Are Average People Focused"

[Marc]

Very valid advice,

Being Ex-Navy I sometimes find it hard to remember I dont have sub-ordinates (charming word isnt it) to bark orders at and get things done.

In a military environment it is vital that it works this way because everyone understand things just get done for the great unit (ship or platoon).

In the real world however its quite different :P

Requests will get you much further as you have stated.

Cheers
Marc

[Kangaroo Jack]

I was in the Army Reserves and whole hardly agree with Marc. Orders need to be followed otherwise the whole structure collapses. However a good leader will lead by example.

In the private sector is somewhat different you don't (well you shouldn't) bark orders. You ask, but the manager also gets respect from his peers when they are not afraid to undertake undesirable tasks themselves.

[bjsmooths]

How ironic huh! When I was in the Marine Corps, nothing was requested to me...LOL! They told me to do it, and they didn't use a very nice tone when they told me...

[Kangaroo Jack]

Originally Posted by bjsmooths

How ironic huh! When I was in the Marine Corps, nothing was requested to me...LOL! They told me to do it, and they didn't use a very nice tone when they told me...

I remember one time I was on duty (I was in transport) up in Darwin. The sergeant was explaining the new Land drover to a Officer and myself. I happen to say something and soon as I said it I new I f^%ked up. The sergeant proceeded to rip me a new hole A lesson learnt the hard way.