Page 58 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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GREAT COMMUNICATION SECRETS OF GREAT LEADERS
FIGURE 3-3 Restoring Credibility
3 As
Acknowledge
Apologize
Amend
Bill Clinton lied to the American people in the Lewinsky affair and
turned an indiscretion into a political quagmire that harmed his presi-
dency. When he finally did acknowledge his misdeeds, it was too late.
His credibility was destroyed, and while he had nearly two more years
in office, his presidency will always remain one of potential rather than
achievement. By contrast, Jack Welch acknowledged that news of his
lucrative postretirement perquisites was hurting G.E., so he stepped to
the fore and voluntarily surrendered those perquisites rather than risk
besmirching his former employer.
Apologize. Admit that what you did was wrong and say you are sorry.
It may be painful for the moment, but it can shorten the agony and
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enable the leader to put the incident behind her or him. During the
war in Afghanistan, our military was involved in several incidents
that harmed civilians and friendly forces. Our military commanders
acknowledged the mistakes and apologized immediately. Credibility
between the wronged parties and the U.S. government was maintained.
Make amends. Find ways to make it up to the people you have

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wronged. Make restitution to those you have harmed. For example, if
a company is found to have cooked the books, the perpetrators need to
be punished. If those actions resulted in a loss of pension funds for
employees, the company should find ways to make restitution. This
is not simply courtesy, it is a way of repaying loyalty and ensuring its
continuance.
The point must be made that the leader may not be the person who was
directly responsible for misdeeds. As the leader of an organization, however,
he or she owes it to the stakeholders to take responsibility and be accountable
when things go wrong. Leaders who step forward and accept blame will often
rise in stature, not decline. Why? Because they are seen as people who are
trustworthy. Credibility, remember, is like currency; followers decide how
much of it they want to buy, sell, or hold. The greater the holdings, the greater
the levels of trust.