Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas admits his comparative inexperience and young age mean he cannot run a club as a dictatorship.
Questions have been asked of the 34-year-old, with the Blues out of the Premier League title race and seemingly in a fight for a place in the top four.
Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard are both only slightly younger than Villas-Boas and it has been suggested the Portuguese may not command the full respect of Chelsea's dressing room.
The former Porto boss also lacks a professional playing career and as a consequence he knows he will not be able to boss around members of his squad.
"Because of my age and my lack of a professional playing background, I could never be dictatorial," Villas-Boas told The Technician, UEFA's official publication for coaches.
"I therefore let the players have a certain amount of input into decisions regarding the way we play and how the team is run.
"Also, when we talk about the well-being of a group, I encourage the players to participate in the decisions affecting their professional life.
"For example, at Porto I would discuss with the players the starting time of the training or the need for rest days.
"I try to be an open-minded leader and to respect people.
"You must build a two-way relationship, even over any decision-making about arrangements or actions in the game.
"Naturally, as the coach I make the final decisions, though, and if I have to upset a couple of people, then so be it."
Villas-Boas has also revealed the pressure he feels when decided to leave players out of his team, which could refer to the tough calls over the selection of £50million man Fernando Torres.
"I suffer most when everyone is available and I have to select the line-up after a week when everyone has given total commitment," he said.
"It is a basic part of the manager's job, but when you have to leave players out for the sake of the team, it is tough.
"Nothing you can say to them can convince them that they haven't done something wrong."
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