When was the last time you truly listened to advice?

I’ll give you a minute to think.

It’s likely a difficult question to answer, right?

That’s because advice is often seen as a doing to activity rather than a DOING WITH activity

To activate is not about doing something to someone, but rather a collaborative effort.

The goal is to activate what already exists within the individual.

It’s not about leading people.

But it’s leading their energy, their meaning, their purpose, and their desires.

It’s about understanding what they want to achieve in their job, what they want to learn, and what lies ahead for them.

Critical thinking is also a key aspect that we aim to activate.

Check out this article to discover the importance of emotional intelligence in activating your team.

It’s important to shift our approach and engage in a doing with mentality when supplying guidance. Ask for permission if they don’t know what to do and you are doing to share your opinion or thoughts.

It’s like knocking on the door to their house. We don’t barge in. We wait to be invited. When they say yes it means they will listen. If you just tell them without asking for permission, they are less likely.

Research shows 9% of the time they will listen to feedback given like this.

Think back to the experience of buying a car from a dealership. It’s common to feel overwhelmed and attacked by aggressive sales tactics.

However, what if the experience was different?

What if the salesperson took a more relaxed approach and genuinely catered to your needs? Listened to what you wanted and allowed you the time to make up your mind.

That’s the kind of approach we want to adopt—being accommodating and supportive of the individual’s needs and desires.

Take home: Leadership is a doing with not a doing to activity.

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Email me your thoughts: michelle@c4consultancy.com.au