The Rotten Truth
by Heather Kinzie
T

he fish rots from the head, or so the saying goes.

Every person working in an organization looks to their leader for the standard, and if the leader works at a fairly low bar, the organization will surely suffer.

The opposite, of course, holds true, and I’ve had the privilege of observing many organizations flourish because of the high standard modeled by their leaders.

I’m often asked about leadership, and specifically about the competencies and behaviors of great leaders. Many people wonder if there is one key characteristic that is representative of a great leader.

What is it? Do I have it? Can I get it? Can I learn it?

I’m optimistic when I see the hunger of others to be great, and I’m delighted to tell these enthusiastic leaders that greatness is well within their ability and fully within their control.

You see, I believe that honesty is the foundation for great leadership, and thankfully, honesty is what we are always capable of offering.

Honesty is what our teams expect, honesty is what our teams need, and honesty is what our teams deserve. But honesty is hard, honesty is painful, and honesty takes time and energy. Thus, many of us hoard, hide or avoid honesty. This, in my opinion, sets a tragically low standard.

What does it mean to be honest, to really be honest? It seems like a simple concept, but it has more complexity than one might imagine. To illustrate, I offer the following mnemonic: H O N E S T.

Humble

The word itself means unassuming, down to earth or modest. It doesn’t mean being unassertive or resigned. In researching nearly 1,500 companies and leaders for his best-selling leadership book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t, author Jim Collins discovered humility to be the X factor of great leadership. I agree, and believe that great leaders realize, and actively demonstrate to others, that they are not perfect and not above reproach. If need be, they change direction and try something new. Or, they explore an idea or solution they had initially thought was senseless or inefficient. They discipline themselves to listen with a beginner’s mind and lean toward curiosity before judgment. Furthermore, great leaders actively rely upon others for their expertise and guidance, because often others are better or more capable.

Ownership

While some may immediately think “the buck stops here,” or perceive ownership as synonymous with accountability, great leaders take ownership to a different dimension. They own their mistakes and their successes, and they own their fears and work toward overcoming stalling characteristics. Moreover, they own their team’s blunders, ensure successes are celebrated and encourage their employees to grow beyond their reservations. Great leaders maintain their powerful ownership mindset by communicating accurate and timely truths while refusing to blame others when things don’t result in the desired outcome. This mindset encourages and empowers others.

No Time Like the Present!

I read this on a T-shirt: “Do it now because sometimes, later becomes never.” Indeed! So goes honesty – if we put off telling the truth at the very moment it is needed, the truth is not likely to be revealed. I believe that in the absence of information, people are likely to create their own story, and their story is rarely the truthful one. That being said, great leaders take the time – the present time – to offer what they know as factual and thorough information. They rarely delay, and if they must delay it is for good reason. They then schedule the earliest opportunity possible to ensure the people who need the information get the information.

Expose the Hidden

The thicker the veil, the greater the murk. Great leaders appreciate this insightful adage and aggressively thin the veil. They break down the formal divide between leadership and line employees by puncturing the power bubble and encouraging collaboration and exchange. They lift the intricate veil that depicts what they think employees should know in order to expose what the employees really want to know. Ray Dalio, in his New York Times bestseller, Principles: Life and Work, suggests that transparency is a key principle of great leadership. I agree wholeheartedly and am confident we need to quit treating our work as a poker game and instead offer what we know, what we don’t know, when we might know it, or why we can’t share it. Employees don’t expect full disclosure all the time, but I am certain they long for information. Great leaders effectively thin the veil and prove themselves worthy of trust by ensuring that information of both high quantity and high quality is made available.

Solicit Opinions and Feedback

They say there is no greater compliment than being asked your opinion. Great leaders do just that – they solicit their team’s opinions and feedback instead of waiting for them to be offered. They don’t allow concerns to fester and become part of a vicious rumor mill. They also don’t avoid their employees’ concerns or ignore them until they become problematic or exposed. Great leaders seek out their employees’ opinions, both good and bad, knowing full well they are omnipresent in the workplace. These leaders know that in doing so, they are demonstrating they are comfortable with the truth, even when the truth is uncomfortable. Moreover, when opinions or feedback are solicited, “mokitas” are uncovered. “Mokita” is a word from the language Kilivila, spoken in Papua New Guinea, that means “the truth we all know but agree to not talk about.” Great leaders demonstrate trustworthiness and respect when they empower their teams to speak freely. Only in doing so can they effectively address the silent veracities burdening their success.

What does it mean to be honest, to really be honest?
Truth

The fact of the matter is what matters. I remind my children of this and I remind my staff of this. Truth be told, I remind myself of this because often I feel pressure to tell what I wish to be true rather than what I know to be true. Honestly, I often fail because I have yet to make a habit of telling the truth. But I know the heaviest baggage to carry is that of a lie, and so I am determined to build a truthful habit. I desire genuineness from others, and in order to receive genuineness and authenticity, I must provide genuineness and authenticity. Make no mistake, a clear conscience leads to a healthy mind; therefore, we need to quit using the version of truth that fits what is desirable and instead consistently use the version of truth that fits what is factual.

The fish rots from the head, or so the saying goes. If you believe this to be true, you will set your own standards quite high. When it comes to honesty, I believe there is not a high or low standard inasmuch as there is a yes-or-no standard. We’re either honest or we’re not.

But if honesty is what our teams expect, we must happily provide it. If honesty is what our teams need, we must consistently provide it. And if honesty is what our teams deserve, we must vigorously provide it.

The truth will, indeed, set us free — free to be the great leaders we are destined to be.

Heather Kinzie

Heather Kinzie, SHRM-SCP, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for The Strive Group. With more than 20 years of organizational and workforce performance experience, Kinzie offers consulting, coaching, content development and training to clients. She oversees a team of experts who utilize a broad, systematic approach to problem solving and consultation. Recognizing the critical importance of leadership, communication and effective collaboration among teams, Kinzie is committed to helping clients improve communication, engagement and organizational performance.

Heather Kinzie, SHRM-SCP, serves as the Chief Operating Officer for The Strive Group. With more than 20 years of organizational and workforce performance experience, Kinzie offers consulting, coaching, content development and training to clients. She oversees a team of experts who utilize a broad, systematic approach to problem solving and consultation. Recognizing the critical importance of leadership, communication and effective collaboration among teams, Kinzie is committed to helping clients improve communication, engagement and organizational performance.