5 Steps to Creating a 21st Century Organization:

2: Create a 'Truth Telling' Environment

Watch Office Space if you really want
to understand the viewpoint of today's workforce.

Too many companies place weight and authority on title and position; ignoring the front line employee who didn’t get an MBA or even a Bachelors Degree.

 The reality is, front line workers KNOW exactly how to make the company more efficient. But if telling the truth can get you fired, why bother speaking up?

Software workarounds are a good example of this. When your workforce is consistently trying to find solutions because the new software is incapable of producing the desired effect, they create a workaround. Which is corporate jargon for "we gotta create a solution that gets the work done without blaming the software."

Some companies have entire workbooks filled with "what to do" when the software fails expectations. If there are 15 different workaround solutions, it may be time to admit the truth; "the software is bad. We need something new."


But what if the software was forced on the company because one of the C-Level Executives plays golf with the CEO of the software company? Well now you are looking at a real problem that will never get solved.

And that is the point of this article...

"For progress to be made, people need to be able to tell the truth; even if that truth is uncomfortable to leadership." — Brad Szollose

I have listened to story after story of employees keeping their mouth shut so they could keep their jobs simply because it was an executive decision. Decisions from the top down will fail when leaders are disconnected from the company culture.

And that is why they hire consultants; to do the icky work of actually talking to low-level workers. If you still believe in this method of leading, go sit in the corner and be ashamed. Be very ashamed.


Create an environment of truth telling and you will see a company that is cutting edge, willing to face facts, and a company filled with employees who are so passionate about what they are creating, they are willing to tell you something so uncomfortable it could get them fired in any other organization.

Think about that for a moment. They would have to love the company more than their job to speak up wouldn't they?

And just an FYI: Millennials get a bum rap in most organizations for one simple reason; they will be the first to call you on your own BS.

That should scare you. It scared me when I had to face facts in my own companies.

See you at my next step...

Brad

Brad Szollose
Global Management & Leadership Development Consultant

Author  •  Workshop Facilitator  •  Executive Coach  •  Keynote Speaker