They say that if you say something loud enough and often enough, it'll start to make sense.
What you say, and how you say it, can make a huge difference on someone's day (I was going to say life, but I don't want to overblow it). Many people today just don't seem to understand this simple fact. People in authority too many times nowadays think that being blunt is being honest, that "I say what's on my mind" is something to be proud of, that management means telling people what to do. After 30 years in management, I got out because these misconceptions were becoming the norm, not the exception.
Yes, managers should be honest. Yes, managers should give direction when needed. But more important than that is realizing that a manager's job is to get a certain job done through their people. The good manager knows enough about their associates on an individual basis to know what motivates them, and how to use that factor to get the most out of them. And good managers remember what it was like to be the associate.
These same concepts work outside the workplace. Your family responds to you the same way; in fact, they need more attention because they know you well enough to respond to non-verbal clues. It comes up to me often in Scouts, where I am basically the General Manager of the pack. My job is to co-ordinate the efforts of a group of volunteers to present a good program to a bunch (71!) of elementary school boys. Think you can brow-beat a volunteer?
So until we learn Jedi mind tricks, simply remembering to respect the individuals you interact with will make your day and theirs much easier. May the Force be with you. Live long and prosper. (Oops, sorry, wrong reference!)
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