How to give good instructions.

1. Make it clear that you’re giving an instruction. Hints are for mothers-in-law.

2. Vague, open, creative instructions are inspirational. Just don’t use them when you have a specific goal in mind.

3. Tell the person what the goal is ­- they might come up with a better way to get there.

4. Make sure you know what the goal is. For example, do you really just want to cheer up the office décor? Or do you want to cheer up the employees?

5. Give point-by-point instructions. Not just “bath the dog”but “run the bath very quietly; lay a trail of chocolate drops up the stairs…” etc.

6. Make sure your instructee knows what order to do things in, which things are vital and which can be skipped if time runs out.

7. Tell them what to expect (“he’ll act as if you’re being a complete nuisance, but don’t give up -­ he’s a softy really.”)

8. Make sure they’ll know if they go wrong. One London brokerage house lost $16 million when a trainee pressed the wrong button ­- as no alert popped up, he didn’t realise he was now selling real shares.

9. When you say, “Do I have to spell it out for you?”­- don’t expect an honest answer.

10. Never be afraid to repeat yourself.