Page 218 - Fearless Leadership

Talking Straight Responsibly 205

The Result. Not surprisingly, more than half the leadership group
had already learned about the blog. It certainly was not a secret, and
by ignoring it, the attention on pressing business issues could have
been diluted. By talking straight responsibly, Armand and senior lead-
ers eliminated speculation so everyone could focus on the business
needs at hand.
Lesson Learned. The best way to dispose of rumors and gossip is to
talk about them openly and broadly. When you talk straight respon-
sibly and trust in the ability of others to handle direct communica-
tion, they will respond appropriately.

As a leader, you must maintain the integrity and balance between what
you can and cannot say. Although you must handle sensitive and confi-
dential matters with great care, there is an easy solution that many lead-
ers miss. When it is not appropriate to include others in the details of a
situation, include them in your commitment, accountability, and stand
for people.
Jack, the president of a business unit in a service company, spoke to a
group of several hundred employees during a time of cost containment
when people feared they would lose their jobs. Although Jack did not have
any specific details about whether downsizing would actually occur, he
took a stand and said, “I know that many of you are worried about your
jobs and whether we will downsize. No decision has been made about this
and I have no new information. But you have my commitment that we
will do everything possible to contain our expenses and streamline our
business so we can avoid losing the talented and loyal people who work
here.” At a time when people could easily have become demoralized, they
cheered Jack and partnered with him to find new solutions to contain costs
and keep the company, and their jobs, intact.

POWERFUL, HONEST CONVERSATIONS:
TALKING STRAIGHT RESPONSIBLY

The CEO knew something was off between members of his senior team,
but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. We worked with him on how to
lead a straight talk conversation with his group in which he took the fol-
lowing stand: