Everyone wins when “my word is my bond” becomes woven into the fabric of your organizational culture. Accountability and trust simultaneously improve as the nooks and crannies to hide half-truths, speculation, and agendas that run counter to the company North Star become fewer and farther between.

I fear that we are becoming anesthetized to what would be considered vicious, uncivil, unacceptable, and unproductive discourse to a prudent, independent observer.

One of the unpleasant truths of leadership is that the people who populate your organization (at all levels) are constantly trying to divine your position on myriad topics - everything from purpose and vision to the stack ranking of current-period priorities. Like it or not, as a leader, you are a significant topic of conversation and your position on issues matters.

The less visible you are, the more active the water-cooler will be. Infrequent communication from the top provides more oxygen for conspiracy theories and rumors to thrive. Conspiracy theories and rumors breed significant emotional waste that can negatively impact morale, engagement, and productivity.

The starting point for the journey to change your culture takes real courage and is an application of courage that doesn’t get nearly enough airplay. You see, the easy leadership road that leads to mediocrity is to hire people that look and talk like you and ensure that you remain the smartest person in the room.

The more difficult, but more rewarding path is to find the courage to hire people who have the potential to surpass you, who think differently than you do, and who are willing and able to challenge you.

Listening is routinely found in “top ten” lists of the most important human skills for the 21st Century. Listening takes practice and can thrive in the right environmental conditions. To assume you’re cultivating improved listening skills without making equivalent investments in education, psychological safety, empowerment, and presence is a fallacy.

I believe in bringing more of one's “whole self” to work. I believe that a diversity of voices and lived experiences leads to a richer tapestry of potential solutions to business challenges and ultimately, better outcomes. Conversely, I believe that heavy conformance to preconceived norms and blindly following overpowering voices stifles creativity and leads to the adoption of a fixed, unyielding mindset.