Leaders, don’t be misled
It is trendy to post a truism on social media, sometimes with the question: “True?” These are good to provoke discussion however they run the risk of perpetrating clichés that stifle considered thinking and action. Most of us use truisms from time to time depending on the situation. They are often very useful to reinforce our resolve and give us something to buoy our spirits and those of our people. Provided that they are not taken as a basic truth, they can be useful.
The danger is that we and our teams accept them as true without considering the wider perspective, then use them as the basis of the ‘way we do things around here’.
Truisms usually have a contrary truism
Here are some examples of truisms that have a counter truism. I am sure that you can find many more:
“Look before you leap” <-> “Fools jump in where Angels fear to tread”
“He who hesitates is lost” <-> “Measure twice, cut once”
“Some things never change” <-> “The only constant is change”
“The real work begins when you close the sale” <-> “Make your sales numbers or find another job”
Communicate meaning, not truisms
Leaders must continually communicate with their teams in meaningful two-way dialogue. The communications must be clear and concise whilst providing sufficient meaning for all parties to the communication. Truisms may provide a good ‘preamble’ to a communication however further explanation is necessary as to how the truism applies in the particular circumstances. Explanation of the truism is a waste of time and may further confuse your people.
‘Straight talk’, not Truisms
Leaders and their teams need clear communications at all times. Using truisms introduces the danger of them being either misconstrued or taken as the basis for action in all situations. The alternative to using truisms is to use ‘straight talk’ where the message is succinct, clear and structured specifically for the situation at hand.
For example: Instead of saying “The real work begins once you have made the sale!” use ‘straight talk’ such as “This customer is unsettled, you will have to stay involved in the post sales activity on this one”. Note that the second statement does not set a precedent for ongoing activity whereas the first statement does.
Don’t run the risk of misleading your teams with Truisms – default to ‘Straight Talk’ that is meaningful and addresses the situation at hand.
