Maybe you’ve known this all along…but I’m just now catching on. We’d be a lot more successful in our relationships and our careers if we’d simply decide to be the actor…rather than the director.
Although it might at first appear easier to direct our children with such statements as, “Pick up your room!” We’d be much more successful (and instructional) to say, “Hey, let’s be a team and pick up your room.” Working together, we can model for the child the best approach to cleaning the room. Working together, the child senses that he/she is part of a team.
Although it might at first appear easier to direct our spouse with such statements as, “You need to clear the table and wash the dishes”…we’d be much more successful to say, “Let’s clear the table and wash these dishes so we can relax for the rest of the evening.” Working together promotes conversation and camaraderie.
Being the actor instead of the director encourages me to make necessary changes in my own behavior, and discourages me from attempting to control others.
Being the actor instead of the director promotes what some might call “servant leadership.”
