you can't do a don't

A gentle reminder for parents, managers, and protesters.

Credit Amanda Hall https://www.pinterest.es/pin/52072939416117485/

When I took my toddlers into a store, it never led to success when I said, "Don't touch anything!" Or worse yet, "Don't break anything!" What was more effective was, "Put your hands in your pockets and keep them there."

It's quite reasonable to tell a colleague to "never miss a deadline." It is usually more effective to say, "please get a draft to me by Friday." It's even more motivating to have a bigger rationale: "If we get this project done on time, we have a shot at increasing this quarter's sales."

And a protest by definition starts with a "no," but will always benefit from clearly promoting what you want instead. Even better, make it something we all want.