| Should People Tell The Truth? |
| Written by Don Roskos | ||||||
 "OF COURSE,” you say. But what if the truth hurts?Do you really want to know what employees think of your pet project or your management style? Probably not. But there’s a difference between wanting to know something and needing to know. You might not want to hear bad news, but as a manager, you need to hear it. And here’s how you can convince employees to give it to you. 1. Hold your tongue. An employee has just shared negative feedback. Your gut reaction is to breathe fire. That’s why you should hold your tongue. Try to nod your head and look as though you’re pondering this bit of news as you count to 10 and try to keep your composure. If need be, simply tell the employee you’ll have to give the comments more thought before you respond. Act as nonchalant as possible until you’ve had time to cool down. 2. Recognize the effort. Even if you can’t bring yourself to do it immediately, always make a point of thanking the truth teller. And if the information was shared in front of others, make sure to offer your thanks publicly. You want to send a message that workers aren’t penalized for being honest, and that you are a manager who values forthrightness. 3. Solicit additional info. People need to feel needed so asking others for help is a real morale booster. If someone tells you a hard truth, ask for that person’s input on how you should handle the situation. You aren’t obligated to follow the advice, but you’ll win approval points for making the gesture. 4. Reward your truth tellers. If you want to create a culture of honesty, incorporate truth telling into your incentive and recognition programs. And when promoting, give preferential consideration to those who are fearlessly honest no matter how high the stakes. Donald P. Roskos is an accredited associate of the Institute for Independent Business, International, a not-for-profit accrediting association located in Watford, Hertfordshire, UK. Don is experienced in many aspects of business and his first consultation is always free. SOURCE NOTE: Adapted from Encourage Truth Telling, by Rick Brener, Canyon Consulting Website To Contact Donald Roskos: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Bookmark with:
Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.26
3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved." |