When we tell people what to do our batting average is low.

Batters cannot improve their batting averages by telling the other team's pitcher what to do. Batters can improve their batting average by observing the other team's pitcher, learning about the pitcher's habits, and adjusting action as required....setting a plan and practising the action.

Hockey players cannot improve their scoring statistics by telling the other team's goalie what to do. Hockey players can improve their scoring statistics by observing the other team's goalie, learning about the goalie's habits, and adjusting action as required...setting a plan and practising the action.

Similarly, poker players, darts players, Olympic athletes, chess players, movie actors, etc., etc. don't improve by telling other people how to behave.

All these people improve by observing others and changing themselves as is required.

This importance of this fact of life is lost on many business people.

The marketplaces and business hierarchies seem to be breeding grounds for underestimating the need to observe other people and the need for ongoing self-improvement. The marketplaces and the business hierarchies make it too easy to avoid the need for these things.

Perhaps the guise of business teamwork feeds this dysfunction. 

You can buck this unfortunate trend.

You can choose to observe other people.

You can choose to observe co-workers, bosses, subordinates, clients, suppliers...a whole range of other people.

You can choose to observe heroes and heroines...today's and those from times gone by. 

You can choose to adjust yourself...call it 'changing for the better'.

You can choose to emulate the best qualities you observe in other people...other successful people.

You can choose to adjust your thinking and you behaviour to fit the realities of what you observe in other people. 

You can have the ability to understand the nuances of 'serenity' [or is it just good-old-fashioned-common-sense...or the 'Zen'] to know strategy of accepting others as they are and adjusting yourself to fit the People and the Situation is a route to success.

The best baseball batters do it.

The best Hockey players do it.

You can do it too.