Page 49 - The Voice of Authority

So much for listening. Guilty as charged. Some people
lack the skill to think on their feet. When caught off guard
in the hallway or in a meeting, they rant and ramble with-
out supplying a complete, coherent, succinct response to
a question or statement of their opinion on an issue. They
never stop, listen, and think before they speak.

Despite What Your Momma May Say,
Tell All You Know
A change in direction can be one of the most critical things
people need to know. Yet according to the results of a study
of 1,845 U.S. workers, conducted in September 2006 by
Hudson, a New York staffing and outsourcing firm, half of
the workforce reported that they rarely, if ever, receive in-
formation from their managers about strategic or organi-
zational changes. The leader makes a U-turn. And nobody
tells the rest of the crew. Big problem.
So how do you keep people from doubting your inten-
tions when they’re not hearing all you know? Perception
forms immediately. You’re either open or tight-lipped with
information. What’s the antidote to confusion, at best, and
distrust, at the worst?

Explain Your Reasoning behind Decisions
People may not agree with your decisions and actions, but
at least they’ll be glad to know what they are. What are the
facts? What are the criteria? What are the extenuating cir-
cumstances? What other suppliers’ and partners’ actions
affect the decisions and deadlines? What are the wild cards
that no one controls? What are the certainties and what are
your guesstimates? What complexities can foul things up

Is It Complete? 37