You Can Lead a Manager to Information ... Part 2

As mentioned in my last post, USAA is one smart company that’s investing in communications training for its managers.

Based on the feedback from my workshop participants and other business professionals I meet around the U.S., not enough organizations are making this critical investment in what’s still considered to be “soft” training.

The most frustrated folks I meet are those whose managers hoard information for power/control. According to Margaret Heffernan, such “Secrecy” (i.e., “we can’t tell the staff”) is one of the “Ten Habits of Incompetent Managers.” Those unlucky enough to work for these managers either rely on the organizational grapevine or do an end-run around the boss by getting the scoop from colleagues whose managers do share information.

That’s the thing about employees purposely kept in the dark – they WILL find a way to seek out the information they need. Whether the information they get is consistent with the message(s) that emanate from senior management is questionable. But that’s the risk taken by organizations who don’t invest in developing their managers’ communications skills.