Page 216 - Fearless Leadership

Talking Straight Responsibly 203

and express their emotional commitment, people do their jobs and do not
worry about the environment.
High levels of certainty increase the ability of people to focus on the
right things at the right time. But our automatic behavior—avoiding dis-
comfort—results in leaders circumventing anticipated debates or tough
conversations, rather than confronting issues head on. This is most obvi-
ous in duck-and-weave cultures, where polite and politically correct inter-
actions prevail, making it impossible to address the real issue.

Secrets That Everyone Knows, but No One Is Talking About
We love secrets and being part of a clandestine group that holds all the
keys and releases them only when utterly necessary. We covet our secrets
and hold on to them tightly, believing that others are not ready to hear
them, should not hear them, or cannot hear them.
Let’s shed light on the truth about secrets: there are none. A secret is
something that everyone knows but no one is talking about. What you do
not tell people, they will make up in their minds. What you think is a secret
will be discussed in the hallways and embellished in the worst way.
Although people may not know the specific facts about a situation, they
sense when something is afoot. There is a palpable reaction in a work envi-
ronment when leaders are not saying something or are withholding infor-
mation. People pick up what is called “leaking behavior,” where leaders
inadvertently leak behavioral cues and information that reveals there is
a “secret.”
As you know, your every move is scrutinized as a leader. Do not under-
estimate what others observe about you and how much they already
know. Regardless of how skilled you believe you are at concealing verbal
or nonverbal cues that advertise your concerns, frustrations, or stress, oth-
ers pick them up. The only antidote to people filling in the blanks is for
you to fill them in first. Talk openly and honestly and eliminate secrets.
This does not mean you should share confidential information; of
course, you should not. But you must learn how to reduce uncertainty by
sharing the appropriate information. Even in highly sensitive matters, you
can reduce uncertainty by addressing the issue head on, as a CEO did
when rampant rumors spread about his “early” retirement and threatened
to disrupt the cultural transformation effort he was leading. Instead of