Is your organization like a tiger?

In the absence of real information from a credible source, it is human nature to fill the gap – most often with the worst-case scenario. With each iteration, these stories grow more speculative, more horrifying, more grandiose.

We’re seeing this occur with Tiger Woods’ one-car accident. In the absence of REAL information there is speculation. Was he drinking? Were they fighting? The conspiracy theories are out in force. With each day that passes without him speaking with authorities the rumors appear to grow stronger and more ferocious.

The story isn’t so much about the accident….it’s about the lack of information around the accident.

This is exactly what happens inside organizations. In the absence of real information from a credible source, employees will fill the gaps and panic can easily ensue. Are we being bought out? Is the company in financial trouble? Should I be looking for another job?

The fallout of this speculation is wide-reaching:

(1) Productivity plummets. Employees are expending so much energy on speculations, worry, working on their resumes, etc that productivity takes a hit. The more wild rampant the rumors and speculation, the further productivity falls.

(2) Top talent exits the organization. Exceptional employees have more options in terms of where they work - when the culture of an organization disintegrates into one of uncertainty top performers become frustrated by the drop of productivity and will seek opportunities elsewhere. Brain-drain ensues further hampering the organization.

(3) Customers question the organization’s viability. Rumors are not contained by the walls of your headquarters. When employees get nervous so do customers. Chat boards light up with talk about the perils of the organization – real or imagined. It fuels the fire of misinformation and further hampers the organization’s effectiveness.

My advice: Don’t be like a tiger ….well….at least don’t be like Tiger Woods and his handling of the car accident.

Openly share information – don’t hide from your employees and naively think they will operate on the assumption that “no news is good news”. It’ more likely they will assume ‘no news means something horrible is happening and I should talk with others about this and see if they agree with me that the world is, in fact, coming to an end’.

When in doubt communicate, communicate, communicate.

May all your Endeavors be Insightful,

Nora A Burns, SPHR
www.insightfulendeavors.com
Twitter: @NoraBurns