Leaders often get a bad reputation for being dishonest or refusing to accept criticism. Maybe this applies to you, and maybe it’s difficult for you to listen to negative things people have to say about you. However, the easiest way to get around that is by simply telling the truth and owning up to your mistakes. Here are three reasons why being honest goes a long way in encouraging others to do the same and in building trust among the people you lead.

1. People Respect Accountability

When something goes wrong with a project, it’s easy to blame the leader. Some leaders might find this unfair and that they need to be cut some slack. While there’s truth to this, many leaders use that as an excuse to avoid accountability altogether.

Unlike what many ‘onion-skinned’ leaders believe, seeking accountability is never about witch-hunting. Instead, requesting accountability is really just requesting solutions and action from leaders. It only makes sense, right? If you oversee a project, the responsibility for it to succeed is on you, regardless if mistakes are your fault or not.

People appreciate having someone take charge when a problem arises. They feel reassured when they see mistakes being corrected and improvements being made. As a leader, it’s your job to address these concerns. That starts with holding yourself responsible and giving people a reason to continue trusting you as a leader. Sometimes, a simple acknowledgement of lapses or a sincere apology lets others know that you recognise shortcomings and are willing to correct these.

If you respect your team enough to overcome any sort of pride or ego and tell them the truth, they are likely to hold you to that exact same level of respect.

2. Set a Culture of Growth Instead of Fear

The job of being a leader is to lead. Seems simple right? Someone takes charge, so everyone follows. But the truth is, being a leader is also about bringing out the best in others.

They say the best way to do that is to lead by example. People will naturally emulate the things their leaders do. If you’re a dishonest leader, you get dishonest workers – those who don’t get work done on time, cut corners, and above all, are afraid of being caught. Letting such behaviour permeate your workplace is likely to create an unhealthy environment that breeds fear and suspicion.

Why not promote a culture of growth instead? Being an honest leader does this. It shows people that it’s okay to make mistakes sometimes because there’s always room for growth. It also reminds people that what isn’t okay is being constantly dishonest and fearful, so much so that the quality of work suffers. Honesty kills fear. Use it and share it.

3. If You’re Honest, No One Can Hurt You

If you’ve ever seen the movie 8 Mile starring rapper Eminem (if you haven’t, spoilers ahead!), there’s a compelling scene towards the end of the movie. Throughout the film, Eminem’s character B-Rabbit has to deal with being mocked for being a white man in a traditionally black man’s world of battle rapping. However, in his final rap battle, he pre-empts all the things that his opponent could say about him. B-Rabbit is shown to embrace his perceived weaknesses and he proudly claims to be more than his shortcomings.

This is a valuable lesson observed in many other fictional works. Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, for example, echoed this by saying “Never forget who you are because the rest of the world won’t. Wear it like armour, and it can never be used to hurt you.”

The truth in those two fictional examples is that there will always be things you’re weak in or need to improve on. Yet, there is strength in choosing to recognise your weaknesses and committing yourself to becoming better. You aren’t expected to be perfect, no matter how high the position you are in, but acknowledging this leads to better results. Not only will you learn to filter out criticism that you know to be unnecessary, but you’ll also find value in continually growing and learning.

To your success,

Mario

[Visit www.mariosingh.com now to enjoy a FREE e-book of my latest “37 Essential Principles for Massive Success” when you subscribe!]