Be Honest With Direct Reports
Anyone who has ever experienced flight delays while traveling knows how frustrating it is when the airline withholds or sugarcoats bad news. We’d all like to know our flight is delayed or cancelled when the airline knows about it. But airlines, concerned they might disappoint their customers, often conceal or soften the bad news. Travelers, even though it’s unpleasant, much prefer to know what’s happening and want the airline to be honest with them.
This is how direct reports feel when leaders aren’t completely forthright with them. Leaders need to be completely honest when delivering feedback and conducting performance reviews. Like airline customers, employees want to know when there are issues impacting the company sooner rather than later. Though it may feel uncomfortable, employees have much more respect for the leader who is forthright and direct.
Leaders should empower themselves to be honest and prompt when delivering tough messages, and everyone will be more successful.
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