While working in the corporate world I realized how quickly I became demotivated when I was told what to do. It was as if I did not know my job, was not trusted, engaged, or empowered, which are all the necessary elements in creating a team that performs well.
One day my boss came into my office and starting telling me what I needed to do. I immediately challenged her and told her how her instructions made me feel unimportant. In turn she asked "How should I manage you?", and I suggested that she should try asking me and other team members, as opposed to telling us, which in turn made us a more productive team.
Think about yourself for a moment:
How do you like to be managed?
Do you prefer to be told what to do, or do you prefer to be asked?
Which is more empowering to you?
How do you think your team members want to be managed?
Did you not hire them, or inherit them, for their expertise?
Who should know their job best, you or them?
Should you not be consulting them, instead...
