By Tom Davidson
People want, need and deserve the whole truth in your leadership communication. Honesty is the fuel for believability.
In this blog series, we’re using the analogy of fire to strengthen your position in the battle for believability. Fire needs four factors to burn: heat, fuel, oxygen and a chemical reaction. A fire can’t burn if you take away any one, and you prevent the fire from burning. Similarly, believable communication needs all four of the following factors to work; without any one, your believability suffers.
– Heat – Being first with the message
– Fuel – Being honest in the content
– Oxygen – Being personal in the delivery
– Chemical Reaction – Being connected with your audience
Fuel – Being honest in the content
People want, need and deserve the whole truth in your leadership communication. Leaders who only tell the positive side of the story are easily dismissed because people know that there is always more to the story. In most cases, they already know the negative side of the message or know there is bad news as well as good.
Your employees are supremely able – and predisposed – to recognized “BS,” and they don’t appreciate being treated as if they’re stupid. Of course you want to tell communicate the positives, but don’t omit or downplay “spin” or omit the negative, the hard truths or the facts.
This might not always make them happy, but it will make you more credible, which is more important.