Three ways to open up as a leader.
CEO of a forging plant complained, “People in my company don’t communicate. I don’t know what’s going on.”
I asked, “Are you saying there is a lack of mutual trust? Are you and your employees uncomfortable talking about failures, weaknesses, and fears?”
No answer.
Many leaders consider vulnerable behavior undesirable, but most effective leaders have no qualms about it. However, like any other leadership behavior, openness takes practice.
To begin with, here are three recommendations:
- Ask for help.
Don’t pretend to be a “know-all” or expert at everything. Leverage and rely on your employees’ skills and knowledge. People like to help, especially when requested by senior management. The word spreads, and the workforce feels more confident about opening up.
- Share personal anecdotes – especially the successes.
Why do people write history? Why are events and biographies recorded? Is it because they make good reads and will sell many books? History’s primary purpose is to teach curious minds to learn from others’ experiences, failures, and successes and not fail.
Some say that failures teach us a lot. Several people have written on the virtues of failure—it builds character, a necessary path to tremendous success, and so on. Do not believe it. Just ignore it. One life may not be enough if we try to learn everything by experiencing it. You can learn from other people’s failures but have no reason to embrace them.
Other people’s flops belong to them, not you. It is not your shortcoming if other people cannot protect their customer base. You have nothing to do with it. If other people cannot negotiate skillfully, it is their deficiency. Suppose other people cannot move fast enough to adapt to new technologies. It is their problem.
Another cliché is “learn from your mistakes.” It has limited value. The only thing it tells us is what not to do again. It does not show us the best next step or what to do next.
How about learning from your or others’ successes?
Now, that is of real value. It tells you what works, and you can build on it by doing it again. You will do it better next time. Focus on what works, the triumphs. Success is the best building block. Share your stories about successes.
- Always live up to your commitments.
If you fail to keep your commitments, people will suspect your integrity and may begin to see you as a non-reliable person. True leaders do what they say they will do. It is a matter of integrity; they don’t take it lightly.
I would love to hear about your experiences! Please share your stories at satish@dhaakar.com. Please forward this knowledge letter to those who could benefit from it. They can subscribe to it here or by clicking on the link below.
Thank you,
