How can any company know if its processes, products, people are safe? Only if everyone is watching and telling the truth. The first part can be assumed; the second cannot.
Margaret HeffernanRead
Bosses and leaders everywhere should cherish the people who bring them bad news, disappointing data or hard problems.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Leaders should value those who provide them with difficult truths and challenges.
This quote emphasizes the importance of transparency and honesty in leadership. It suggests that true leaders appreciate the individuals who deliver bad news or highlight problems, as these challenges are crucial for growth and improvement. By cherishing such people, leaders can foster a culture of open communication and trust, ultimately leading to better decision-making and organizational success.
Themes
LeadershipCommunicationTransparencyTrustHonesty
In practice
Example use cases
In a leadership seminar discussing the importance of feedback.
More from Margaret Heffernan
All quotes βMost executives I know are so action-oriented, or action-addicted, that time for reflection is the first casualty of their success.
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Once you have power, you are inevitably surrounded by people who have their own agendas and will tell you whatever advances them.
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If the company depends entirely on you - your creativity, ingenuity, inspiration, salesmanship or charisma - nobody will want to buy it. The risk and the dependency are too great.
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Those in powerless positions aren't about to complain about bullying bosses, abusive supervisors or corrupt co-workers. There is no safe way to do so and no process that promises redress.
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[For constructive conflict,] we have to resist the neurobiological drive which means that we really prefer people mostly like ourselves.
Margaret HeffernanRead
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