Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

Communicating Tough Messages

It would be wonderful if all of our communications were positive. We would all like to live in a place where all projects were successes, everyone did a great job all of the time, obstacles simply melted away, and the streets were paved with gold. Anyone over the age of three knows that this place simply does not exist. Life is challenging. Good people make bad choices. Things don't always go as planned (as a matter of fact they rarely do!). There will be many times as a leader that you will either have to communicate difficult messages because of the circumstances or because you need to deliver a personal message to an individual that he or she may not want to hear. While this is never fun, the way you handle these opportunities is often the difference between building credibility and long-term success versus resentment and mistrust.

The first suggestion I would share is to never take the “ostrich approach” to leadership. Too often, I have seen leaders try to bury their heads in the sand in the hope that the challenging situation or behavior will simply blow over. Their thought process suggests, “Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away!” My experience is that problems are like a curable cancer. If ignored, they will not only fester but will worsen until they consume the entire organism. However, if treated early and aggressively, they can be eliminated and the person or team can go on to live a long, successful life. Therefore, when you are confronted ...