For leaders speaking candidly is essential to maintaining a high level of personal energy.  For teams speaking candidly is essential to seeing reality more clearly.

According to the Conscious Leadership Group, research reveals that 97% of people admit to outright lying.

Speaking candidly, however, is not just about telling the truth (getting facts straight), although that is a very important component, it’s also about revealing, and not concealing, thoughts, feelings, and sensations.

In order for a leader and a team to see things clearly it is important that everybody speaks candidly with each other. The reality, however, is that most people only practice selective candor—they withhold or conceal—usually out of fear. Unfortunately, withholding typically leads to individuals withdrawing and ultimately projecting and teams not tapping into the strengths and energy of team members.

In healthy organizations leaders speak candidly and reveal their thoughts (head), feelings (heart), and sensations (gut). Through candid conversations everybody becomes more aware, inaccurate perceptions are clarified, and the team sees reality more clearly—leading to better decision-making, more cohesive teams, and higher energy/engagement of the individuals.

Steps to becoming a more candid organization:

• Agree as a team that everybody will speak candidly with each other without defensiveness, judgment, or retaliation. Unless everybody on the team is committed to candor the team runs the risk of getting hurt, being rejected and misunderstood. It is also important that the main leader goes first and demonstrates candor so that others will feel safe in doing the same.
• Speak unarguably with truthfulness, openness, and awareness. Arguable statements suggest something is true or right (e.g. “The new sales manager is not the right person for our organization.”), while unarguable statements are framed in the form of thoughts, feelings, and sensations (e.g. “I fear that the new sales manager may not be aligned with the values of our organization. Each time we talk about his plan I get a queasy feeling in my stomach and I feel he is withholding important details.”)
• Practice deep listening: With your head to the words used, with your heart to the emotions expressed, and with your gut to identify core needs.

For more insights into the powerful practice of speaking candidly click these links:

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.