While the "I am OK ; you are OK" is an accepted norm, "I am the King and you are the subject" leads one nowhere.

Project successes sometimes dictate that one must own the project to push it to success. However, the ownership must be contextual.

You are in charge of a project. You immerse yourself in the project. In your mind, it is like you are the project. When the project success requires an action, you want that action! Now the message team members may hear is that "you" want it to be done.

In many conversations, that the action required is based on project priorities definitely goes down as a proper message , rather than the message that "you" want it to be done !

So substituting 'the project' instead of "I" relieves you of avoidable unnecessary baggage. In fact, even the prnoun "we“ is better than "I".

If you have a recalcitrant colleague, the "I" word makes your the recalcitrant colleague's enemy number one, without any doubt. While the words like "the project requirement" or "management requirement" will not make the recalcitrant colleague any more tractable, they will at least give you a separation, making it possible for you to broach a logical explanation. Handling a recalcitrant colleague may then become less stressful.

'I' signifies a selfish interest, which is negated by ‘us’, which in fact projects a common interest.

In Indian philosophical lore, "I" creates a relationship or bondage - the Sanskrit word for I is "Aham". The "Aham" is that feeling that sets up the battle of "I Versus You". It is a battle where there are no winners. It is an unambiguous, shameless announcement of authority, which may even lead to litigation. The philosophical view is clear: relinquish that "Aham“ or I - follow that unification power of "we". Or even use that transparent "project requirement” or even a vague 'Management requirement'. In a broader sense, you are only a tool to get that project implemented. The ultimate one on the pedestal is the Project - not you ! So leave the "I" word at all costs!!
 
 ||om tat sat||