Just Tell It Like It Is!
Let’s call him Rob. Online, Rob is 47 years old, single, professional entrepreneur, likes to keep fit and active, dark hair, beard, piercing green eyes. I like.
Fast forward to meeting Rob for a drink. Hmmm….Rob is 59 years old, is currently not working but is thinking of starting his own business, pays for a gym membership and his relationship status is “it’s complicated”. And let’s just say that Rob’s photos were taken before there was such a thing as on-line dating!
Why, Rob? Why?
Now, I understand that Rob might be trying to get “an interview”, his foot in the door, so to speak but he’s got to know that at some point, I’m going to find out the truth.
Honesty matters.
And it’s exactly the same in leadership.
Let’s be honest with each other. Tell me….
Who are you?
What do you stand for a leader?
What’s it like to work with you?
What can I expect from you?
What do you expect from me?
And for goodness sake, just give it to me straight.
Honesty builds trust. If you want me to follow you as a leader, if you want me to do my very best work for you, commit to you and your future vision, then I have to trust you. As a leader you must have the courage to put yourself out there, to show yourself and tell the truth.
We expect honesty first and foremost from our leaders and it has been found to be the most valued leadership quality by far.*
You have your own “magic”, your strengths, the things that make you unique. Share those with me. What are your best qualities and what’s great about working with you and your team? And be real.
Honesty as a leader results in:
Attracting and retaining the right people for your team
Increased engagement and commitment
A feeling of safety and belonging
High trust
Honest and open communication
Don’t be tempted to tell me what you think I want to hear. (I might just surprise you) Deception breaks trust, damages your reputation as a leader and wastes everyone’s time and energy. As a leader, you want to attract and work with the right people for your organisation. You’re not going to find those right people, unless you represent yourself and your organisation truthfully.
I want to work for a leader who is honest, transparent, knows who they are and has the courage to be themselves, flaws and all. It’s also the kind of man I want to date.
Sorry, Rob :(
Midja x
*Kouzes, James and Posner, Barry. The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. 2017