From time to time, you want people to change.

 

For example, you want them to change the way they act at work.

 

I am thinking about what you may be thinking: you may be thinking about two extremes:

• You cannot assume people will change their actions…even when people say they will change
• You cannot demand people to change…even though people say they accept your demands

I mean – you must have noticed people say they will change their actions then later you observe they have not changed. And, you must have noticed you have made demands of your people and those demands fell short of getting done.

 

After noticing these things, you probably would like to do better in the future. When people say they are going to do something you rely on their word...so, you would like people to live up to their word. When you have authority, as a business leader, from time to time you need to make demands of people. You don't overdo your position of authority. On occasion, you make 'executive decisions' and demands of people. When you have the need and you make the executive decision followed by a demand you want the demand to generate the action you desire.

 

Regardless, too often the action you expect does not happen.

 

So, in order to generate the action you desire you must help people change. To help people change you need to find the middle ground.

 

WARNING: The middle ground probably isn’t where you think it is.

 

It isn’t situated in logic discussions and arguments.

 

It is situated in simple tools, which get around the emotions that cloud over logic.