requests work better than orders

One of the most essential skills you can learn as a leader in the modern world is the art of converting orders into requests.

If you want your employees and team members to exude excellence and perform their tasks exceptionally well in the given time, you must ask them, not order them.

The only exception, of course, is you’re a senior officer in the armed forces, where men and women are trained for countless hours to take and follow orders without question. A much-desired quality in a soldier is that they follow the chain of command no matter the circumstances. However, in everyday life, this is not the norm. If you’re a leader in any other field such as business and politics, you must train yourself to put out requests. Using introductory phrases like “I need a favor…”, “Would you mind…”, “May I ask your assistance…” or just starting your statement with “Please…” will ensure that you get an enthusiastic response from people who work for you and your tasks get completed successfully as opposed to giving away commands and intimidating others.  

Never forget, a little courtesy goes a long way. And so, always choose requests over orders to get a favorable response from those you lead and get better results in the long run.