5. If. “People are afraid of failure and of being wrong. Throughout our entire education, we’re rewarded if we get the right answers and punished if we get the wrong ones. This trend continues in most work environments. Eventually, people stop taking risks. They show up, punch a clock, and go through the motions. When pressed for an opinion, they often clam up or simply reply, ‘I don’t know.’ When this happens, leaders can simply use the magic word ‘if,’ saying ‘What would you say if you did know?’” David says.
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He further explains that “if” makes everything hypothetical. “People behave much differently when something is not going to be on the test, or when something is ‘off the record.’ They are more honest, more creative, and more resourceful. If they feel that there won’t be any accountability for a wrong decision, they’re free to take chances,” he says.
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