Page 217 - Fearless Leadership

204 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

ignoring the rumors, or trying to quash them by issuing a memo, the CEO
spoke directly to folks and said, “I hear that I’m leaving the company. This
is a surprise to me since I have no plans to retire or leave. Perhaps you
think I’m getting on in years and should think about retiring, but I must
confess that I’m much too engaged in what we’re creating to stop now.
Since I cannot keep my age from climbing upward, there will come a time
when I will retire. When this time comes, I’ll communicate directly to you.
In the meantime, for better or for worse, you have me. So let’s focus on
our mission, and do what we set out to do.”
Postponing important communication is rarely a good idea. I am con-
tinually amazed when leaders avoid talking about critical issues thinking
that this is an effective way to interact with others. When I ask them why
they are waiting instead of taking decisive action, they offer several rea-
sonable replies: “I need more information,” or “I don’t want to alarm oth-
ers,” or “I need to buy time so we can avoid a bigger problem.” They also
tell me they fear unrehearsed words such as “What if I say the wrong thing
or it comes across the wrong way? What if my words have a negative impact
and I can’t take them back?” These concerns are valid and they under-
score the need to learn how to talk straight responsibly.

If It’s on the Internet, It’s Not a Secret
An embarrassing situation occurred for Armand, a senior leader in a
global health-care organization. A disgruntled ex-employee took
Armand to task and viciously attacked him, using an anonymous blog
for communication. The senior group met the day prior to a leader-
ship conference of their top 200 leaders and deliberated about whether
they should say anything about the Internet fiasco. One leader argued,
“This will blow over and most people will never know what happened.
There’s no need to mention anything at the conference.”

What Happened. Armand and the CEO disagreed and said: “If we
say we’re committed partners, then we must talk straight. We must
acknowledge this issue so there are no secrets or surprises.” On the first
day of the conference, Armand addressed the group and said:
“Overnight I have become an Internet celebrity. I want to take account-
ability and include you in what happened.”