What’s the key to executive leadership in this vicious economy?
Transparency.
Everyone wants to know what is going on within their organization or the organizations they buy from. In Kevin Eikenberry’s book Remarkable Leadership he said, “Too often leaders don’t want to talk about a change that everyone knows is coming until they believe they “are ready” and “have all of the answers.”
If a company such as General Motors waits till it’s ready or has all the answers they are going to exclude themselves from the American public even more than they already have. GM has to start talking and focus on transparency right away, and you should too regardless of your organization’s situation.
Start talking to your organization whether you are a Fortune 500 company or a small business owner. Tell them what is going on in the top of the organization with executive leadership. Keep them involved in the ongoing changes the organization is experiencing. You also need to keep your customers in the loop to show them the path your organization is on.
Let’s go back to GM and their corporate leadership. Put your bias aside about the company and what they have done in the past. Go to gmreinvention.com. My first thoughts are WOW.
GM hits transparency on the nail with this site. At the bottom of their website by the contributing editors GM says, “You deserve the latest information about the reinvention of GM straight from the people hard at work making it happen.” GM capitalizes on this quote and gives people multiple opportunities to see what GM is doing. People can receive Tweets about the day to day progress of GM, they can see all the news headlines about GM, and you can even join GM in a conversation on facebook. GM is trying to integrate the public into their reorganization and make sure people see what the new GM is going to be like.
Now regardless of how you feel about GM’s corporate leadership this is a great example of transparency. People deserve and want the latest information and GM is giving it to people. As a leader in your organization, you need to give your workers and customers all the information you can.
I know you have all heard, “put yourself in their shoes.” It is true and it’s something to think about as a leader in your organization. Have you given your workers and customers the information they need to understand where your organization is heading in the future? Are they aware of the trials your executive leadership is facing today? Bottom line, are they informed? These are all questions you need to be asking yourself by placing yourself in your workers or customers shoes.
Because if your organization is informed your workers are more likely to be less resistant to change and trust the executive leadership. You want your workers and customers to feel like they know everything about the company and don’t have unanswered questions floating around in their heads.
GM’s executive leadership used gmreinvention.com to answer the questions in the minds of the America public. So good job GM, for once I feel like I know what your plan for GM is.
So be transparent. People want to know what is going on. It will help you in the long run with your workers and customers. They will be less resistant to change if they know what is happening and will be more likely to trust you.
Gust post from Kim, Not Your Ordinary Intern
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