Trust and Honesty is a culture worth developing.

I think there is something inherently vulnerable about someone who is willing to tell the truth. And yet... it takes a very self-assured person to actually be honest with people. Because the repercussion are often horrendous. Especially in business.

The problem is that, time and time again, it is easier to lie. Or say nothing. Or smooth over the gaps. People in business (and corporate) don't want to be told the truth. And, if you tell someone in confidence... they just can't resist abusing the information for their own gain.

And, when things go wrong, the trick seems to be to find someone, something, some organisation to blame. Push the focus somewhere else. And, even better, find a new shiney thing to run around whooping about to distract from the cold hard reality that things aren't looking too great.

I hate all this.

I hate it so much it has cost me dearly over the years. But I still stand by my belief that it is better to be honest and upfront. And share your pains. Than follow this insidious way of carrying on.

I'll tell a not-so-recent tale.

I remember when I was a young Account Exec at an advertising agency. "Digital" was all new... but I picked it up pretty quick. And we had a new role open up - Head of Digital. Cool..

But... it wasn't cool. Because all they did was talk very very slowly and patronisingly at everyone and do no work what-so-ever.

I had a client. They needed a website. Head of Digital dutifully brought in. He had all the buzzwords and bullshit. And I was impressed. So, a website plan was to be drawn up. A week later I am making excuses to the client. Two weeks later I am making excuses to the client. And, as I sat near this new fangled wizard of this new fangled technology, I repeatedly asked when we could arrange to go back in to see the client.

The thing is, he would say in his deep, slow patronising voice, "Adam, you just don't understand the complexity of the task". And I problably didn't. But I knew it didn't take 2 weeks. I also knew from glancing over his shoulder at his screen, that he seemed to do very very (very!) little work at all. A week after that, I flew in to the Directors office. This was a joke", I protested, "The guy is earning a fortune and he isn't doing anything". I was brutal. I cared about the agency and this guy was taking the mickey. "He's wasting everyone's time and money I ranted".

Next up, we're in the board room. And my new enemy crushes me to a pulp with his slow, deep patronising voice... How many websites had I been responsible for? none. How many had I built? none. What on earth did I know about it then? He lied and ruined me in no time at all.

The Directors looked at me like I had behaved very very badly. And that was the end of the matter.

I resigned shortly afterwards. But kept in touch with one of the directors.

A year later, he confided in me that the Digital guy had been fired, had cost them a lot of money and hadn't delivered the work. Why hadn't he listened I asked... he didn't really know.

And... did my honesty and passion do me any favours. Nope.

Why?

Because the culture of the business was not to upset people. Not to rock the boat. Not to have conflict. And not to bad mouth your superiors.

The "Emperor's New Clothes" comes to mind.

The longer someone has been in the game, the more they lie. They lie for advantage.. and they lie to protect their job, their income, their department, their family. It's human nature.

So... I say... Build a business with a strong enough culture so that when the upstart junior comes in and says, "That director is taking the mickey"...... or "Those reports were fudged to wax over some major gaps".... you get to the bottom of it and they have your best interests at heart... and just (maybe) they could save you a whole heap of time, energy and money.
  

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