#davesdailychallenge (122): Because I Said So! There are times in every organization that everyone needs to stop asking questions, complaining about realities, or worrying about “what ifs” and just execute. As a leader, it is part of your job to know when those times are but I assure you that the number of times you can deliver “orders” or “guidance” without any explanation other than “because I said so” is rare. In fact, it is generally a mark of laziness on behalf of leadership to have crafted an organization that doesn’t understand your vision or, even better, share in your vision because it is theirs as well. Instead, always seek to communicate the why behind any initiative. If team members understand the why instead of just the how and what behind strategy then they will become part of that big picture effort. Ideally they already are but people are not tolerant of being treated like drones for very long. If you don’t give the why and challenge team members to rise to the level of higher expectations you will unwittingly create a culture of these aforementioned drones over time. Your best and brightest will either leave or become a part of the mediocrity. Is it easier for a leader to just bark orders and walk away? Sure it is. It is far from effective however, and if you want to build something great that lasts the test of time you need to go beyond “because I said so”. Good luck.