Order from above

“Don’t ask me why. It’s an order from above.”

Still a common scheme in corporations – both outward and inward facing. It frustrates customers and teams alike.

One solution – basically the default in many corporations – is to explain harder, i.e. longer, i.e. repeatedly.

Using. The. Exact. Same. Words.

As if not getting it was the team’s fault.

Clarity is the leader’s responsibility. The days of command & control have long passed by. Lighting the path so that people see where we’re going – and why – is a much stronger approach. It starts with seeing from the team’s perspective.

(Likewise for customers.)