March 2014: Beware of selective disclosure.

As a leader, your job is to help ensure your people are as productive as possible.  Many leaders forget that there is a direct link between communication and productivity, and that they are often the gatekeeper who decides whether to share, withhold or selectively disclose information.

Absent information, people try to fill in the blanks for themselves, which fuels the rumor mill and becomes counterproductive.  There will always be some form of speculation, but the more disclosive you are and the more trust you build, the less distracting that rumor mill will be.

Some leaders withhold or selectively disclose information to build or maintain power over others.  As long as this intent and behavior exist, you will have trust issues in your organization.  Resist the urge to withhold information because it makes you feel powerful. Remember that to go from good to great, you need your people to be empowered and armed with as much information as possible so they can carry out the tasks at hand.  You’re looking for that extra mile -- that discretionary effort -- and free-flowing information helps you achieve that goal.  

February 2013: Go ugly early.

Let's face it: no one likes to be the bearer of bad news. Exposing mistakes and negative developments can be uncomfortable and make us feel vulnerable as leaders. That's why so many of us avoid disclosing issues early and instead wait until they become full-blown problems or even crises.

Whether in your professional or personal life, going ugly early is one of the best things you can do to strengthen relationships and protect your credibility. In fact, openly communicating unexpected changes and emerging issues actually builds trust, giving people a sense of comfort and confidence because they know that nothing is being hidden.  No one likes to be blindsided by a negative surprise, and by surfacing issues early, you enable those around you to think calmly and rationally (versus in panic mode) and manage through the issues more effectively, minimizing the downside risk or damage.  Further, you can build teamwork and esprit-du-corps by engaging others to work through the issue.

Today, think about how transparent you are in your communication, especially when it comes to the tough stuff.  Do you go ugly early?

March 2012: Beware of suck-ups and yes-men.

It’s human nature to gravitate to people who support, encourage and agree with us.  But this can be a fatal leadership mistake. 

Suck-ups always tell us that we’re right.  They make us feel smart.  They make us feel safe.  We trust them.

Not so fast. When we get indiscriminate praise from those around us, it signals that we’re either discouraging honest, candid feedback, or that people are attempting to manipulate us by coddling favor and winning our trust.  Either way, we end up with a distorted view of reality.

Part of being an authentic leader is recognizing that we have blind spots, and then seeking – and accepting – critical feedback from trusted advisors to ensure we keep a balanced perspective.   Sometimes the most loyal colleagues are those who are courageous and caring enough to tell it to us straight.  To tell us when we’ve stepped in it; to advise that a mid-course correction may be necessary.  And, yes, to tell us when we’ve done a good job.

Today, ask yourself….are you surrounded by suck-ups?  If so, what’s that telling you?