Perhaps you are familiar with the two theories, or depending on your age, you have no idea. So here it is. Back in 1960, Douglas McGregor, a management professor at MIT, described two leadership outlooks on human behavior in his book, “The Human Side of Enterprise.”

Those who fell into the Theory X category believed employees had to be coerced, controlled, and threatened to do good work or take responsibility.

Those who fell into Theory Y believed people were generally creative, willing to work and take responsibility if treated accordingly.

I decided long ago that Theory Y would work best for me. My hope is you are the same. It is a much better way to lead. My friend and mentor John Maxwell said,”See them as a 10.”  This is a way to build positive momentum and trust in the relationship. If I trust their intentions to do good and perform, they often do.

Now, to be clear, I am not naive. I have had my share of disappointments with people who didn’t live up to my expectations. I would just rather start with trusting in them.

Trust is the foundation of all relationships. As a leader, I have learned to trust first if I expect them to trust me. Steven M.R. Covey calls it “the speed of trust,” which is also the title of his best-selling book. When trust in an environment is high, everything moves faster.

I am appealing to all leaders to strive to be a Theory Y leader. In most instances, people will live up to the expectations of their leader when properly communicated.