Open And Candid . . . Really?

A successful leader was being actively recruited for a position on the senior executive team of a major corporation. As part of interviewing process, she had the opportunity to speak with each member of the senior team. To her surprise and dismay, each of the CEO’s direct reports had anxiously counseled her on “what” and “what not” to say to the CEO. Needless to say, she was very concerned about what she’d heard and experienced. She did not want to be part of a senior team that focused more on posturing and politicking than on achieving real results, but she also really wanted the job. When she finally sat down with the CEO, she chose to be completely open and candid, “I have been coached and counseled on ‘what’ and ‘what not’ to say in this interview by every member of your team.” After pausing a moment, she continued, “Is that what you want and expect from the members of your senior team? Because if it is, I’m not sure I want the job.” The CEO looked at her long and hard before he responded, “No, it’s not how I want this team or this organization to operate…let’s talk about how you can help me change it.”

She did take the job and together they changed the culture by creating a genuinely open and candid environment where concerns were regularly discussed, opinions were always respected, ideas were vigorously debated, and judgments were rarely made prematurely or inappropriately. Overcoming the natural tension and anxiety between those at the top of an organization and those at lower levels requires concerted and conscientious effort. Unfortunately, many organizations and their leaders fail to effectively address this tension and anxiety, which inevitably leads to resentment and opposition. Addressing the issue of hierarchical tension and anxiety requires a serious commitment to open and candid communication on a regular basis.

To learn more about how to create a truly open and candid work environment, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

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