...news travels faster, allowing mistakes to be recognized quickly and fixed promptly; people own their actions and own up to their errors so that they can learn from them; people know where they stand, know what's expected of them, and know what it takes to get promoted and fired. Candor is at the heart of aligning people with strategy, and is essential to effective execution, performance management and people development.

Obstacles to building a culture of candor

Many managers in organizations have difficulty with candid conversations, whether they are delivering a message with candor or are receiving feedback from someone. Candor may be resented, rejected or re-gifted by those who are the recipients; it will be avoided in communications by those who dislike conflict or become acts of cruelty by those who lack compassion or respect for individuals, no matter what their failings may have been.

Gatekeepers--official or self-appointed--often keep bad news or critical views from travelling upwards. Such mind-guarding is commonplace and may be undertaken for the best or worst of motives. Well-intentioned mind-guards may...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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