Synopsis of an article from Forbes by Grant Freeland, Published 27th July 2020
This article grabbed me at the start with the short powerful statements that leaders use Ronald Reagan used to say “Trust but Verify”, former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi used to say “Performance with Purpose” and for a highly successful not for profit entrepreneur it is “No Surprises”.
“No Surprises” has been a line I have used for many years so this article immediately spoke to me.
The author Freeland is a BCG partner and in this article he refers to how leaders need to communicate which is with truth and transparency. They need to empathetic and one of the best ways to do this is to show them your human side. (see uncover your motivation to lead and the motivation secret that works for everyone)
Show your heart
Open up about your life, feelings and struggles, build connections with people by showing a little of your vulnerability and listening with interest in how others are doing.
Be truthful
Everyone can smell the BS so be truthful, your job is to motivate with hope but you can’t inspire hope without honesty.
Repeat yourself
Repartition is a key to affirmation, you need to repeat your key messages again and again and again.
When you don’t have substance talk process
If you don’t have something substantial to report, focus instead on the process you are going through, people like to understand how things are being decided and where the process is in a timeline.
Leadership can be a challenge even at the best of times, but no skill is more important right now than the ability to communicate effectively.
Read the full article here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantfreeland/2020/07/27/ceos-need-to-say-it-and-say-it-again-with-clarity-honesty-and-feeling/