Honesty
You can’t have trust without honesty. And to be honest, Corporate America still breeds way too many liars. Businesspeople lie about everything. Our resumes. Our profits. Our past. We lie about what our products can actually do. We lie to clients about our capabilities. We lie to coworkers. Corporate America just loves to lie. Why? Because most businessfolks can’t handle the truth. The truth isn’t always “on strategy.” The truth isn’t always a formula. (Remember, business lives for formulas.) The truth doesn’t care about image or PR spin. And let’s face it: the truth isn’t always profitable.
Plus, honesty is hard. It doesn’t care about your brand or your shareholders. Honesty isn’t interested in your career or your agenda. Honesty is glue—once you use it, you’re stuck with it, profitable or not. Once you say it, you have to do it. Honesty can expose a company or an employee’s weakness. Honesty challenges you to back it each time it shows up. Honesty is hard, especially when money’s involved.
But what makes honesty so hard? Fear of failing, mostly. Or, to be more precise: fear that failure won’t be forgiven. The main reason I saw people lie and use dishonest tactics was because they were terrified of failing. And again, bosses, clients, shareholders, and flaky consumers have everyone shook—scared to take chances of any kind unless success can be guaranteed. Everyone’s afraid that failing will get them fired, embarrassed, or bankrupt.
But I can’t front. Not everyone dodges honesty out of fear of failure. Some businesspeople are dishonest because they’re just flat shiesty, greedy, lazy, or some combination thereof. But if you don’t have the common sense to fire those people or cut ties with them, then you get what you deserve.
Now with all that said, how do we bring back trust and honesty?
Plus, honesty is hard. It doesn’t care about your brand or your shareholders. Honesty isn’t interested in your career or your agenda. Honesty is glue—once you use it, you’re stuck with it, profitable or not. Once you say it, you have to do it. Honesty can expose a company or an employee’s weakness. Honesty challenges you to back it each time it shows up. Honesty is hard, especially when money’s involved.
But what makes honesty so hard? Fear of failing, mostly. Or, to be more precise: fear that failure won’t be forgiven. The main reason I saw people lie and use dishonest tactics was because they were terrified of failing. And again, bosses, clients, shareholders, and flaky consumers have everyone shook—scared to take chances of any kind unless success can be guaranteed. Everyone’s afraid that failing will get them fired, embarrassed, or bankrupt.
But I can’t front. Not everyone dodges honesty out of fear of failure. Some businesspeople are dishonest because they’re just flat shiesty, greedy, lazy, or some combination thereof. But if you don’t have the common sense to fire those people or cut ties with them, then you get what you deserve.
Now with all that said, how do we bring back trust and honesty?
Satisfaction not guaranteed.
Part of increasing trust in business is being honest about expectations. Bosses and stockholders need to accept the fact that success is a process and failing is part of that process. I’m not talking about lowering standards; I’m talking about raising patience and understanding. I’m talking about creating environments where honest bad news is as welcomed as dishonest good news.
We need to be supportive when employees make mistakes. Most successful entrepreneurs don’t succeed until their second or third business venture. Again, I’m not trying to encourage or excuse failure. But mistakes are part of growth. Until we accept this, dishonesty will continue.
We need to be supportive when employees make mistakes. Most successful entrepreneurs don’t succeed until their second or third business venture. Again, I’m not trying to encourage or excuse failure. But mistakes are part of growth. Until we accept this, dishonesty will continue.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
—Romans 12:17
—Romans 12:17
N-O.
Remember the “no people” from “Less Bosses…?” Well here’s why you need them: Corporate America hates “no.” (“No” is so strong that hearing it makes you wonder if before God said, Let there be light, maybe He was thinking, No more darkness.)
But I like “no” because “no” is usually the truth; and most businesspeople would rather have certainty than truth. When you say “no” (or even “maybe”) to a businessperson, they usually have to pass it onto someone higher up the food chain. And no one wants to tell their boss, client, or shareholders “no.” On the flipside, people like “yes”—it makes ‘em feel good, like chicken soup or ice cream. Even when it’s wrong or a lie, “yes” usually sounds pretty good.
Businesspeople need to hear “no” like children need vegetables—it’s good for ‘em. “No” forces people to justify what they believe and explain it rather than just hope momentum pushes it thru. “No” can save money. “No” can overcome “yes” mistakes. “No” can kill bad ideas and revive brands. When used properly, “no” can be an important business tool.
My advice: Do at least 25 “no” reps a day. Get those “no” muscles strong enough so you can use ‘em when the time comes. (And again, hire some “no people.”)
But I like “no” because “no” is usually the truth; and most businesspeople would rather have certainty than truth. When you say “no” (or even “maybe”) to a businessperson, they usually have to pass it onto someone higher up the food chain. And no one wants to tell their boss, client, or shareholders “no.” On the flipside, people like “yes”—it makes ‘em feel good, like chicken soup or ice cream. Even when it’s wrong or a lie, “yes” usually sounds pretty good.
Businesspeople need to hear “no” like children need vegetables—it’s good for ‘em. “No” forces people to justify what they believe and explain it rather than just hope momentum pushes it thru. “No” can save money. “No” can overcome “yes” mistakes. “No” can kill bad ideas and revive brands. When used properly, “no” can be an important business tool.
My advice: Do at least 25 “no” reps a day. Get those “no” muscles strong enough so you can use ‘em when the time comes. (And again, hire some “no people.”)
Documentation: What’s your word worth?
We touched on paper trails in the last chapter, but lemme add these:
1. Don’t equate having it in writing with trust or honesty.
A paper trail is nice, but if someone will lie to your face, they’ll probably lie to you in print. And if you’re documenting things because you don’t trust the folks you’re dealing with, then you’ve got problems that no memo, contract, or paper trail will ever solve.
2. Treat verbal agreements like written contracts.
Pop a cork. Swap spit. Take a blood oath. Hug. I don’t care how you consummate it; just give promises and agreements the same weight you give the printed word. Let folks know that you expect their word to mean something and it will, or at least it’ll remind them that it should.
That’s it. Live by your word; make your word matter. Business will be better for it.
1. Don’t equate having it in writing with trust or honesty.
A paper trail is nice, but if someone will lie to your face, they’ll probably lie to you in print. And if you’re documenting things because you don’t trust the folks you’re dealing with, then you’ve got problems that no memo, contract, or paper trail will ever solve.
2. Treat verbal agreements like written contracts.
Pop a cork. Swap spit. Take a blood oath. Hug. I don’t care how you consummate it; just give promises and agreements the same weight you give the printed word. Let folks know that you expect their word to mean something and it will, or at least it’ll remind them that it should.
That’s it. Live by your word; make your word matter. Business will be better for it.
Let us walk honestly; as in the day…
—Romans 13:13
—Romans 13:13
