Contrary to the popular belief, people deal better with the whole truth than a sugar coted version thereof. The night Emma died; we had to drive from St Francis to PE. It was torture because the messages were confusing. We were even told that she was standing next to the car and completely fine. Understandably, that was our best outcome, but we can also read between the lines and we knew it was much worse.
All the latest management theory encourages transparency. It is said to be the basis of modern motivation. The people you are leading are not stupid, uninformed or incompetent. The truth is, they know the business well, and you (the leader) are often the one that doesn’t. The sugar coated version of the truth makes you vulnerable and creates unrealistic pressure to perform miracles that you cannot do. Secondly, they will start making their own conclusions and they are more often than not demotivating and unflattering of your leadership.
The questions for leadership are: Did you become the hamster on the 24 hour day wheel? Are you stressed when you continuously feel responsible for others? Do you feel that you are the only one working and all the others are either incompetent or just passengers? Do you feel disempowered or a reputational loss? Do you struggle to trust others because you believe that you can do it better? Do you believe that you can save everyone by doing everything yourself?
You are the visionary and they are there to execute. If they are the wrong people for that, you made bad appointments, undo it. God put you in the position to lead, not to blame others or to be a martyr. When you, and the people you are leading, face up to your real truths you are positioned for change.
This is an important landscape and narrative to address. We are all now part of a global pandemic that is accompanied and the economic disaster. Nothing will ever be the same, therefore our thinking cannot backslide into old patterns, we need a fresh approach on how to navigate around treacherous waters together and not only come through this reasonably intact, but prosper.