It may be too late.

Perhaps you have witnessed it.  People in a leadership position who fail to communicate clearly and effectively. An organization experiences gut-wrenching turnover, service decline, loss of client base, and eroding collegiality.  The people charged with making decisions have not been forthcoming—or worse, they point fingers and double down on questionable (at best) courses of action.

In these situations, the leaders sacrifice direct and honest conversation. They move to circling the wagons. Communication becomes “brand-oriented” not “people-centric.”

They don’t get it.

When leaders do not authentically share the organization’s story with their employees, the employees will create the story. Worse, the leader loses authority/power/control and influence.

For instance, if you (the leader):

• Lack transparency with your staff, they will create your story.
• Refuse to acknowledge that the team and clients create the brand, they will create your story.
• Attempt to isolate so-called non-team players, they will create your story.
• Play it close to the vest and release cryptic information, they will create your story.
• Reorganize without clear direction, reason, humanity, or explanation, they will create your story.
• Provide incorrect information, they will create your story.
• Refuse to listen to (or even allow) criticism and employee feedback, they will create your story.
• Fail to prioritize effective and timely email or phone replies, they  will create your story.
• Promise and do not deliver, they will create your story.
• Read scripted remarks and refuse to take questions, they will create your story.
• Fall back on “That’s how (not how) we do things around here,” they will create your story.
• Provide vanilla answers, they will create your story.
• Stonewall, they will create your story.
• Lie, they will create your story
• Bully, they will create your story.
• Disrespect, they will create your story.
• Attempt to reclaim your story, they have already created your story.

It may be too late.

Video recommendation for the week:

The above can also apply to personal relationships.  “Communication Breakdown” by Roy Orbison.

Make it an inspiring year and H.T.R.B. as needed.

For information about and to order my book, Stories About Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island, click here.  A number of colleges and one state-wide agency have adopted it for training and coaching purposes. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same.

My podcasts: The Growth and Resilience Network™ (http://stevepiscitelli.com/media-broadcast/podcast).

My programs and webinars: website  (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/what-i-do) and (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/webinars).

Pearson Education publishes my student textbooks for life success—Choices for College Success (3^rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (3^rd edition).

(c) 2018. Steve Piscitelli. All rights reserved.