Do You Know What ‘OLART’ is and Are You Deploying It Effectively?

I don’t expect you’ll know what I mean by ‘OLART’ because it’s an acronym I created for this statement:

Observe Always, Listen More Than Ask, Ask More Than Tell, Rarely Tell.

Do you agree that we have a bad habit of telling, when we could be observing, listening and asking?

Do you agree that one of the unspoken decisions we made when we became adults was “I no longer want to be TOLD, I deserve to be ASKED first”?

How much do you agree with the list below?

The adept and experienced leader will:-

1. Observe first and always to see and understand the situation and mood.
2. Listen carefully (with ears, eyes and whole of body) with curiosity to understand.
3. Ask questions to clarify, guide, empower, and give ownership for the best responses.
4. Rarely tell except in a crisis or with an inexperienced or dysfunctional team or team member.

I assert that there is wisdom in observing and listening; power in asking and force in telling. 

They all have their place, don’t they?

Are we using them in ways that work? How could we make sure we are?