Effective leadership involves not just giving orders but explaining the reasons behind them. This communication style builds trust and increases employee engagement. Studies, including one from Adam Grant, show that when employees understand the purpose of their tasks, motivation and performance improve significantly. Contextualizing requests aligns with the psychological concept of cognitive ease, making acceptance of ideas easier and fostering a collaborative environment. By establishing a clearer connection between tasks and their larger purpose, leaders can enhance ownership, reduce resentment, and drive better results.
For such a small word, why has a tremendous impact. The presence of a reason makes it easier for people to reach out to others.
Without that explanation, even straightforward tasks may be met with resistance or resentment, while giving a reason helps to build engagement, ownership and motivation.
People at work are thirsting for context. They want to know that what they do contributes to a larger whole.
When a reason accompanies a request, it requires less mental effort to understand and accept, leading to less resistance and greater trust.
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