by R. Brayton Bowen
Long before Spin City became a TV hit, HR professionals
around the world were earning their stripes by spinning and word-smithing
messages to employees. Mass firings due to restructuring were the
result of rationalizing — let’s not get too emotional here — or
rightsizing — I don’t know of any company ever admitting to wrong-sizing.
“ Doing more with less” was euphemistic for “ we’re gonna work you
to death.” Looking for “ energetic people” was code for “ younger
workers.” Telling an employee her new boss was a little unusual
was camouflaging his Attila-the-Hun-like personality. One HR manager
when asked why he didn’t shoot straight with employees said he was
protecting them from the harsh reality of the workplace. “ It’s tough
enough,” he said, “ without sticking my finger in the wound.” (What
planet did he think his employees came from?) Adding insult to injury
is the CEO or HR manager who says, “ People are our most important
asset” but they’re treated like objects. Is it any wonder employees
become skeptical, apathetic, and even angry?
If this sounds familiar, then ask yourself: What
am I afraid of? What does my communication strategy say about how
I view others? What do I lose by being constructively assertive?
The answers may surprise you. Usually, the HR manager is afraid
of being seen as a bad guy/gal. (We’re talking major avoidance here.)
In the interest of wanting to appear nice, he or she sweetens the
message and, in some cases, lies outright. (Trust me. As a former
HR manager, I’ve been there Ê done that.) Or, the manager thinks
the employee will actually buy his/her rhetoric and not see through
the subterfuge. (How discounting of the other person — we don’t
think they have the intelligence to see things the way they really
are.) At the base of such spinning is a fundamental misconception
about control — “ I’ll keep a lid on the situation by being less
than straightforward. We certainly don’t want to get sued.” Certainly,
if this is your concern at the 11th hour of your relationship with
employees, you’ve got a whole lot more to be concerned about than
your communications strategies.
The risk of not being constructively forthright
is the risk of damaged relationships, lost effectiveness, tarnished
reputation, and a whole lot more. Being truthful, caring, and concerned
enhances credibility. It builds trust, garners respect, invites
commitment, and fosters understanding. Let’s face it! If you were
the patient with a serious illness, would you expect your doctor
to withhold information or tell you the truth? Apart from the fact
you’re paying the bill, telling the truth is the least a professional
advisor can do for a client.
Donna Truit of McDowell Place, an assisted living
community, tells her employees, “ If you come to work here, you’re
going to work harder than you ever have before; but you’re going
to learn a lot and you’ll be proud of what you accomplish.” As a
result of her candor, employee turnover for her operation is one
of the lowest in the industry.
The world today is certainly a complex place.
No one can promise life-long employment or work with out stress.
But, enlightened HR professionals know there’s more to be gained
by winning trust than by spinning words.
R. Brayton Bowen is author of Recognizing and Rewarding Employees
(McGraw-Hill, 2000) and operates The Howland Group, a management-consulting
firm committed to building better worlds of work. For information,
please visit the website,
or e-mail RBBowen@howlandgroup.com.
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