If You Don’t Give People Information,
They’ll Make Up Something to Fill the Void.
Carla O’Dell
There’s an old saying that information is power.
Some organizational leaders intentionally misuse this saying. They adopt an authoritarian style that information is always on a need-to-know basis. They also generally believe that the less their teams know–the better.
Other organizational leaders unintentionally misuse this saying. It’s not that they do not want to share their information power. They just don’t think it’s important to getting the work done or they get too busy to take the time to communicate more with their employees.
Unfortunately, whether the lack of communication is intentional or unintentional, the result is the same. Employees will try to figure things out on their own and this often leads to misinformation and unproductive outcomes.
The truth is miscommunication and rumors abound in organizations where leaders do not routinely communicate necessary information. When you share information (power) with your team, you’ll find that they will communicate with you directly rather than waste their time on rumors.
After all, why would your employees bother with rumors when they have a leader like you who communicates regularly, openly, and honestly with them?
Employees are less likely to spread rumors and believe misinformation when they have a manager that communicates regularly, openly and honestly with them. Share on X
This article is accurate to the best of the author’s knowledge.
Content is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional advice in business, management, legal, or human resource matters.
