Are you being transparent?

Being transparent is hard. Being a good communicator is hard. Being transparent and having good communication in the workplace is really hard. 

One thing I like to think about when it comes to communicating is ‘how am I being clear’? That's sometimes hard to implement but being strategic in how you speak is key. I like to encourage leaders to work backwards. In a conversation, first identify the goal of the conversation, out loud. Then, validate the person’s feelings or experiences, followed by your request or message. 

 For example, you’re a bank branch manager, and you need to speak with a bank teller about consistently being late. You would ask them to meet with you behind a closed door as to not possibly embarrass them because emotions can run high in work places ;). You would then lead the conversation something like this: “I’m pulling you in to discuss your tardiness the past three days to work. I’m sure you have a lot going on with your kids in the morning and preparing for the day; you’re in charge of a lot. And because people do look up to you here, when they see you being late, it makes it seem like they can be too. What can I do to help you make it to the office by 8:15a every morning?” 

 Do you see how conversational and non-confrontational this feels? It gives the other person value for what they do have going on in their life while also holding them to a clear expectation. If it was me, in another two or three days, after they’ve  consistently arrived on time, make sure to recognize that to the person. 

Conversations don’t have to be conflict. Can they be hard at times? Yes. But hard conversations today make tomorrow’s conversations easier.