Do you speak up at work—letting others know what you think and feel? And how often are  others honest with you?

Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric, considered candor the most crucial of all corporate behaviors.  

If people are not authentic about the work they are held accountable to do, then crucial information—and collaboration—is lost. This impacts decision making and accountability, and, ultimately, team dynamics and achieving goals.

How many times have you agreed to a deadline that wasn’t realistic? Or been at a meeting where you disagreed with what was being discussed and didn’t speak up? Or had a sense that someone was withholding information from you? Or simply didn’t respond at all?   

What was the cost or impact in each situation, for you, the team and the company?

I know it’s not always easy to be authentic. It involves vulnerability—how will i be perceived? What will others think?  And it can be especially hard when power differentials are at play—that involves taking risks.  Yet once information is out on the table, it’s much easier for find effective solutions, create buy-in, and clear, doable steps to achieve objectives.

Want to get more authentic? Keep in mind the following tips:

• Make “I” statements
• Focus on behavior– what happened—rather than the person
• Keep judgment, blame and demand out of your feedback
• Focus instead on what’s driving the situation for you. What core needs are on the table? (To download a list of business needs, click here)
• Use connection requests to check in. “How does that sound to you?” “I wonder if you can understand why I’m concerned?”
• Invite collaboration. Once you’ve shared your concerns, ask others for their ideas. “So how do you think we can address both sets of concerns?”

“Getting real” means getting things done.

Want to learn more—and get support in applying these tools in real situations? Contact us today to learn more about training and coaching programs to help you get speak up and get results. Call me at 718.797.9525 or email info [at] workcollaboratively.com to see how Empowered Leadership Coaching can make a difference for you!