November 1, 2000 Communications Dilemma

Was with a senior team today and the discussion turned to communications, as it so often does. Frequently, the conversation is about "how well" do we communicate. Their conversation was about something more difficult - "how much" do we communicate.

One of the specific conversations this team got into, was "how much" information to share when someone leaves the business. They were perhaps seeking to discover a simple formula that they could apply across the board. They found the amount of information released about someone who left the business under a dark cloud (due to poor performance or a significant values violation) has to be different than that of the highly regarded person retiring after years of wonderful service, or for other noble reasons.

On one hand, you could initiate a standard news release like, "After (number) of (months, years, decades) of service, (employee name) is leaving the business." Nice and simple, but how might an individual (and colleagues) feel if this is the only acknowledgement after 30 years of great, devoted service.

On the other hand, you could decide to be as fully disclosing and truthful as possible. Terry was forced to leave the business, because of his/her continuing falsification of expense reports and job-threatening directives to associates to "keep their damn mouths shut." Although truthful, it might seem like taking a disrespectful, low road.

Leaders know how important honesty and credibility are, and when it comes to sharing information, both of those are constantly being tested. So a big question is how does one manage to maintain credibility when he or she is unable to, or chooses not to fully disclose every last detail. Does withholding some information connote dishonesty? How about ignoring people when they ask if you know something (and you do not feel it is appropriate to answer)?

These are tough questions that need to be addressed by frank conversations with associates, peers and bosses. The more one can clarify and reach understanding on the "how much" can or should be communicated, the better the overall communications with other people will be.