Built to Beat Chaos

CHAPTER 15Honest and Open

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Galatians 4

Love, the topic of the last chapter, is certainly a deep topic, but now we will engage with another challenging but related concept—honesty and openness. We use these terms a lot, but what do they really mean in practice? Why is it the truth can make us angry? Note the quote above from the Apostle Paul to one church he was mentoring. He was trying to help them and yet was perceived as an enemy.

In this chapter, we will explore how openness and honesty affect team bonding. It is the second behavior in the people engagement model, and it depends on the foundation laid in the first step—caring for people.

Trust

Being honest and open is a set of behaviors that allows us to trust each other. It involves knowing what is true, speaking what is true, and not withholding information. It even has an aspect of competency—the ability to deliver what we promise.

FIGURE 15.1 People engagement model—honest and open.

Regardless of motive, we cannot work together and get the benefits of a team if we cannot communicate openly and accurately. This process is undermined by deception, ignorance, or even fear—fear of sharing what we think. Let's illustrate with a true story.

A Father‐in‐law's Fears

Following is one of my own experiences as a leader where the fear in an employee was stronger than ...