Remember - your employees are watching!
As leaders we need to be able to walk a fine line between forging relationships and familiarity. Sometimes, if we become too comfortable with our culture, we will let our guard down and forget that as leaders, everything we say matters.
Many years ago, when I was first starting out in a Management Training Program, one of the executives gave me some advice about Leadership. He told me that when you are in a position to lead or influence people, you have to be careful of the Megaphone effect. In other words, whatever you say, no matter how innocuous you think it is, has a megaphone effect; it will be heard, it will be passed on and it will be interpreted.
When you walk out of your meeting with your leadership team, people are watching for signs. If they hear a disattisfied comment, or hear team members complaining about a decision, or arguing, it will be noticed, processed and amplified.
A quick innocuous sarcastic comment at a dinner, or a dismissive joke or observation can create waves.
This is not to say that you shouldn't open up. It is important to be transparent, to build a culture of trust. Just make sure that everything you share is ready to be shared, and that you don't inadvertently signal doubts, concerns and disagreements.
Many years ago, when I was first starting out in a Management Training Program, one of the executives gave me some advice about Leadership. He told me that when you are in a position to lead or influence people, you have to be careful of the Megaphone effect. In other words, whatever you say, no matter how innocuous you think it is, has a megaphone effect; it will be heard, it will be passed on and it will be interpreted.
When you walk out of your meeting with your leadership team, people are watching for signs. If they hear a disattisfied comment, or hear team members complaining about a decision, or arguing, it will be noticed, processed and amplified.
A quick innocuous sarcastic comment at a dinner, or a dismissive joke or observation can create waves.
This is not to say that you shouldn't open up. It is important to be transparent, to build a culture of trust. Just make sure that everything you share is ready to be shared, and that you don't inadvertently signal doubts, concerns and disagreements.
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