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    You are here Home » CEOs

    Are You a Candid Leader? 4 Ways to Build Clarity, Trust, and Competitive Advantage

    Last updated on Oct 1, 2015 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest post by Nancy K. Eberhardt:

    Honest, purposeful,
    and respectful communication is one of the most effective leadership skills,
    yet CEOs who promote a culture of candor are still uncommon in business today. With
    an increased demand for transparency, building trust through authenticity is more
    critical than ever for individuals and organizations to keep their competitive
    edge. Here are four techniques that will help open the lines of communication with
    team members, and across your organization, to encourage valuable idea
    generation and information sharing:

    1. Avoid the Feedback
    Sandwich -
    When
    giving a performance evaluation where development is needed, do you typically
    start with what your employee does well, followed by areas for improvement, and
    wrap up with what you like about their work? At best, this approach can be
    confusing, leaving your employee focused only on the positives and missing the
    areas to be developed altogether. For the best results, it’s always best to
    provide honest feedback with clear direction on expectations. Keep in mind,
    direct feedback should be respectful, without ridicule, demeaning, or
    humiliation.

    2. Listen More – No Need
    to Get Defensive -
    As
    a leader, do you get defensive when someone disagrees with you, or are you open
    to other ideas and approaches? When communicating, listening is just as
    important as speaking, perhaps even more so. Information is king and by listening,
    you have the opportunity to gain valuable perspectives about what’s working and
    what’s not. It helps to have all of the facts to make the best decision
    possible.

    3. Don’t Be a People
    Pleaser -
    We all
    want to be liked, but as the boss, we know that’s not always possible. Our job
    is to be respectful, yet also direct, clear, and purposeful. As a supervisor, if
    we try to “manage” other people’s feelings, we are not being effective. When
    you are honest with someone, you honor them. The key is to give honest feedback
    - both positive and negative - in a respectful manner. How it’s received is up
    to the recipient. Realize that we won’t please everyone all of the time, but being
    relied upon to be truthful with the company’s and your team’s best interest in
    mind will help to build trust and gain their respect.

    4. Be Honest with Yourself
    -
    As a leader, we spend
    the majority of our time developing strategy and managing others. However,
    looking inward is just as important. Do you regularly consider your own
    performance? What can you do to be more effective? Do you ask for feedback on
    how to improve? Is everyone on board with a clear vision and specific
    objectives? By acknowledging your areas for growth, you encourage others to do
    the same.

    To be an
    authentic leader, you must create a culture of candor—communicating with
    honesty, clarity, purpose, and respect—to heighten credibility, inspire, and
    engage.

     
    Nancy K.
    Eberhardt
    , President and CEO, Pathwise Partners is a Gazelles™ certified Executive Coach and consultant for CEOs,
    entrepreneurs, and boards. She is an expert in fostering authentic
    conversation, mutual respect, and new possibilities for breakthrough results,

    and author of the recent book, Uncommon
    Candor: A Leader's Guide To Straight Talk
    . Uncommon Candor: A Leaders Guide to Straight Talk. To
    learn
    more about how communicating with candor can help you achieve
    greater results, visit Pathwise
    Partners
    or contact Nancy at   neberhardt@pathwisepartners.com.
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