My last post on leaders standing against the tide also emphasized the importance of leaders communicating all information even if it goes against what is thought to be the accepted message. Granted, there are times when leaders may know an answer but must keep it quiet due to other, trickle-down impacts. There will be a right time to release and discuss. In my recent interviews researching the impact of merger and acquisition activity (M&A) on engagement and retention, the resounding message from those employees impacted was, “talk to us openly and honestly and frequently.” Sadly, some leaders feel providing less information is effective leadership or not involving the boots on the ground in the decision is a good thing.
In these recent interviews 80% of the respondents have left or are leaving the organization because of poor communication and the unwillingness to engage the team. These valued employees have chosen to leave and pursue other opportunities because they did not feel valued. The 20% who are staying are doing so to support their one-up leader. That leader has held open and honest communication and the employee is tied to them and not the organization. This is a sad development and avoidable. Good, strong performers leave organizations during tumultuous times because they feel unvalued and unsafe. While leadership cannot stop the chaos of M&A, they can improve communication and interaction with the team. It takes purposeful and prescripted, honest communication.
I am reminded again of the failing our federal government is experiencing in communicating about the “pandemic.” I learned today, the World Health Organization (WHO) actually changed their definition of pandemic and lessoned the threshold so that they could use the term. Now we have a Covid test being pulled by the CDC because it does not differentiate flu and covid! There has been no broad release of that information. And we have fully vaccinated patients in our hospitals (85% to 95% of covid cases in Israel and 74% of MA cases). However, we are being told it is only the unvaccinated. Then we have experts such as Dr. Robert Malone and others sounding the alarm about the dangers of the shot. The “spike” in case counts is likely a known, negative vaccine condition of antibody dependent enhancement. The shot is making us more vulnerable to infection
Our leaders should take a lesson from the M&A currently under my study. Speak openly and honestly and let each person make their own decisions. The drive to spread misinformation will backfire and will continue to undermine any credibility of a leader who insists on continued spread. The shot is not a vaccine, has very questionable efficacy and the science cannot unequivocally support the shots or masks as prevention. Tell the truth. With my M&A study, tell the truth. Tell your employee, “There will be chaos, some will lose their jobs, the organization will not look or function the same, but you are valuable, and the mission is still important. We need you!” Be a leader.