When instructions are properly followed, things work well. People who follow instructions show that they are cooperative, intelligent and dependable, while not following instructions can lead to life and death situations that may end tragically.

When people do not follow instructions properly, it can cause chaos and great frustration in any type of environment. In order to follow instructions, a person must listen well, read carefully and ask questions if necessary. When a person does not follow instructions, he/she finds that finishing tasks is much more difficult.

If a single person on a team does not adhere to instructions, then the entire team suffers on some level. Tasks that are done properly the first time do not have to be redone, so one saves time and effort by following instructions each time a task is tackled.

Following instructions can preserve one’s health and wellbeing, and it is a necessary skill for a quality life. Rules are necessary for every well-functioning society.

 Professionals that do not follow instructions place themselves and other people at a greater risk for injury and death. Opportunities for advancement are limited and clashing with others becomes inevitable when a person does not care to heed instructions.

 Failing to follow and carry out instructions at work is called insubordination and could mean that you may face a disciplinary action.

 Tips on taking directions and fulfilling tasks:

1. Actively listen: Try to listen intently, not just hear. When you actively listen, you can better understand what you need to do. Here’s a trick that may help: pretend that there is going to be a quiz after the conversation. Visually think about what's being said and maybe even repeat it in your head.
2. Understand the purpose of the instructions.
3. Note the materials and steps, mentally running through the process.
4. Take notes: Instead of trying to remember everything, write it down. There’s nothing wrong with keeping notes; it shows that you are prepared, organized and want to do the job correctly.
5. Repeat the instructions aloud to make sure you understand them.
6. Ask questions: If you are even slightly unsure of what you are being asked to do, don’t be afraid to question. Make sure the other person allows you the chance to find out all the needed details to move forward.
7. Respond with a good attitude: Just as the person giving directions needs to speak respectfully, it’s important to respond respectfully. If you go into the conversation with a bad attitude, it’s likely that performing the task will be much more challenging.
8. Before starting the task, make a checklist: Whenever there is a job that requires multiple steps, try organizing a to-do list. Check things off as you go to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then when you’re done, be sure to review your work.

Overall, positive communication and listening are essential when giving and taking instructions. For some jobs, following step-by-step directions is pertinent, but in the case of working in an office, warehouse, restaurant, etc., learning how to provide direction properly and knowing how to take direction make for a smoother and more productive work environment.

Tips on giving directions:

1. Provide context and be specific: Give all the details. Provide any background to help that person better understand the task at hand. Try your best to be as detailed as you can, especially when you have a set idea about how the task should be done.
2. Ask politely rather than barking orders: Tone of voice can change everything, especially when telling someone what to do. Speak at a reasonable volume and use kind, respectful words. Try to avoid negative language and don’t forget to say “please.”
3. Offer the other person the opportunity to ask questions: Whenever the one receiving the task is unsure, it’s important that you allow him time to ask questions. The better he understands what to do, the greater chance for a successful outcome.
4. Resist any urge to micromanage: If you give directions properly, you should not feel the need to oversee or micromanage. Instill faith in your task-doer by letting him do things without you to the best of his ability. Provide positive feedback and appropriate gratitude: When the task is complete, be sure to affirm the person. This makes your team member feel respected and trusted. And give clear, helpful feedback or constructive criticism if the task was done improperly.

Identify and respond to guidance and instructions

React vs Respond

These two words are the difference between a thoughtful positive attitude and a reactive negative attitude. When someone offers guidance and direction to you, you need to respond. This means that you think about it, use reason to find a solution and take the appropriate action. When you react to guidance and direction you skip the thinking part and go right to the reaction part, and the results are usually not good. You react in the moment instead of thinking through the process.

Learn to respond rather than react to guidance and direction.

In almost every job, there is a person who is in charge of your work performance. That person is known as your manager, supervisor, or boss. Your manager will give you guidance or direction on how to do your job. You will be given guidance on a regular basis, and it is important to learn how to accept and respond to this guidance.

If you are not used to being told what to do or how to do something, responding to guidance might not come easily to you. It might seem like the person giving you guidance is being “bossy” or controlling. Try to respect the experience and skill of your manager and accept their guidance. Your manager gives you guidance to help you succeed in your job.

How you respond to guidance is determined by your attitude. If you have a positive attitude about your job and your supervisor, you will be able to respond appropriately.

Here are five tips for accepting and responding to guidance:

1. Follow procedures or steps you should take to do things
2. Ask for help, directions and instructions
3. Accept advice and constructive criticism
4. Acknowledge or recognize experience and skill or knowledge
5. Handle negative criticism politely

Follow procedures. Most companies have procedures or steps you should take already in place for each job. Usually procedures are in place because they have already found that this is the best way to do the job. That’s why it is important to follow those procedures rather than making up your own.

In order to follow procedures, you have to first know what they are. In most cases, you will have an employee handbook or instruction manual that will explain the procedures for your job. Read through this handbook and keep it near you in case you have any questions. You will also likely have a co-worker or supervisor to train you on the procedures for doing your job.

Ask for help, directions and instructions. In order to make sure that you do your job correctly, it’s a good idea to ask for help, directions and instructions from time to time. If you don’t ask, you may waste valuable time doing something incorrectly and have to re-do your work.

Asking for help is simple and can be completed in six steps:

1. Determine who to ask for help
2. Think about how to ask for help
3. Ask for help, directions or instructions
4. Listen to the response
5. Repeat the response back
6. Ask questions to clarify the answer

Determine who to ask for help. Think about who would best be able to answer your question and explain the instructions to you. This could be a manager, supervisor or a co-worker in your department.

Think about how to ask for help. Think about what it is you need to ask and form the question in your mind. Thinking your question through before you ask it will help you to ask the question clearly.

Ask for help, directions or instructions. Once you have figured out who to ask and how to ask for help, approach the person and ask for help. State your question clearly and then wait for the response.

Listen to the response. After you’ve asked for help, listen carefully to the response or answer. Pay close attention to the details and to any new instructions.

Repeat the response back. Once you’ve listened to the response, repeat the response back to indicate that you heard and understood what was said.

Ask questions to clarify the answer. If any part of the response was unclear to you, ask questions so you are clear about what to do. You want to be able to go back to work with a sound understanding of what it is you are expected to do.

Accept advice and constructive criticism. Constructive criticism is someone telling you that you did something incorrectly so that you can learn how to do it better. Nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. Keep this in mind as you enter the workforce. It will help you to accept advice and constructive criticism.

Advice and constructive criticism are positive things. Try to learn from it rather than taking it as a negative or an insult. When your supervisor or co-workers give you constructive criticism, listen to what they are telling you, think about their advice, thank them for pointing it out to you and try to follow their advice the next time you do that task.

Acknowledge or recognize experience and skill or knowledge. Especially when you are just starting a new job, most of the people you work with will have more experience than you. Trusting in your supervisor’s and co-workers’ expertise or knowledge will help you to seek out and accept their guidance.

The fact that they have been working at the job longer than you probably means that they can give you good guidance. Trust that the people you work with want to see you succeed and will use their experience and expertise to give you guidance.

Handle negative criticism politely. Not everyone you work with will be constructive in the way they give guidance and criticism. You will likely meet someone who criticizes you in a way that seems offensive, insensitive or mean. If this happens, remind yourself that your co-worker is probably just trying to help and accept the feedback. It’s important not to get defensive. You should respond in a respectful manner. If you find the offensive behaviour continues, consider talking to the person or your supervisor about it.

Now lets look at your ability to following instructions

The ability to follow directions is very important for many jobs. These types of questions measure a job applicant's ability to follow directions by giving a set of rules, and then have the applicant answer questions by following the rules.

RULES

The three types of storage are regular, warehouse, and special. Listed below are the rules for deciding which type of storage to use.

• Regular or warehouse storage should be used for items that do not need special handling.
• Special storage should be used for items that need special handling.
• Warehouse storage should be used for items weighing over 200 pounds.
• Regular storage should be used for items weighing less than 200 pounds.
• Special storage should always be used for storing hazardous materials.

Codes:  1 - SPECIAL   2 - WAREHOUSE   3 - REGULAR

1. What type of storage would be used for equipment weighing 350 pounds?

1 - SPECIAL

2 - WAREHOUSE

3 - REGULAR

2. What type of storage would be used for a fifty-pound box of dynamite?

1 - SPECIAL

2 - WAREHOUSE

3 - REGULAR

3. What type of storage would be used for a five-gallon drum needing refrigeration?

1 - SPECIAL

2 - WAREHOUSE

3 - REGULAR

4. What type of storage would be used for machinery weighing 175 pounds?

1 - SPECIAL

2 - WAREHOUSE

3 - REGULAR

5. What type of storage would be used for a cement truck used for parts?

1 - SPECIAL

2 - WAREHOUSE

3 - REGULAR

Giving feedback

Remember that giving feedback on the instructions you were given is just as important as carrying them out.

Giving feedback means that you have carried out the task and that you are able to give feedback regarding the task given.

Managers tend to get busy and although you are sitting at your desk working on a list of tasks given, you manager will regard feedback as tasks handled and completed.