NAFCU Journal July August 2021

12 THE NAFCU JOURNAL July–August 2021 D uring the Great Recession, I was coaching several companies. I noticed that one of the signifi- cant challenges they struggled with was getting people to speak openly and with candor about difficult issues. During COVID, I see the same thing happening. However, encouraging people to come forward with issues is more important than ever during unsta- ble times. That’s why it’s critical that your team feels safe bringing up concerns or delivering bad news. To help you improve communications across your credit union, here are a few suggestions. Make It Safe When someone has the courage to tell you about a problem or mistake, thank them. Let the person know that you’re not happy about the situation but are glad they brought it to your attention. If they go way out on a limb to share bad news, don’t cut it off. Run out there, hug them, and tell them that you appreci- ate them bringing you the information. Demonstrate that people are safe, even celebrated, for telling the truth no matter how painful it may be. Model Vulnerability Don’t pretend like you have everything under control. You don’t. Show confi- dence that everything will be fine, but balance that with the humility to admit when you need help. Let people know that you have concerns. Explain thorny issues openly. Ask for their input and sug- gestions. If you’ve done a good job hiring, you have many talented people on your team. Take advantage of that by getting everyone involved in developing intelli- gent solutions and specific action steps. The 24-Hour Rule This is a concept I learned from Alan Mulally, the former CEO of the Ford Motor Company. One of his favorite sayings is, “You can’t manage a secret.” So, he created this rule. “You have 24 hours to take a new and emerging issue, try to understand it, and see if you can resolve it yourself. After that, you have to go public with it. It’s an escalation process. Because with a lot of these issues, we can solve them pretty quickly by applying the intellect we have in this company.” Dig Deeper You’re sitting in a meeting, and you can feel the tension in the room. A few peo- ple are not engaged, or it is obvious that they are displeased about something the group is discussing. Their body language screams, “I do not agree,” but no one says a word. I am sure you experienced this many times. The appropriate way to handle this is to be courageous and do a check-in. Ask people in the room how they are feeling about the topic. If you see someone who seems upset or frustrated, ask them what they are thinking. Draw people out. Encourage them to speak their mind openly. Let them know that you LEADERSHIP DOWNLOAD OPEN COMMUNICATION: A MUST FOR LEADERS By John Spence Don’t pretend like you have everything under control. You don’t. Show confidence that everything will be fine, but balance that with the humility to admit when you need help. Let people know that you have concerns. Explain thorny issues openly. Ask for their input and suggestions.