Originally published by James Caan CBE on LinkedIn: The Pledge: Is Honesty The Best Policy?
Today, I’m really excited to announce that I’m about to join the panel of a new weekly Sky News TV show called The Pledge. This is a new breed of debate show without a presenter to moderate the panel, who have all pledged to provide their honest and frank opinions on the big issues of the week. While I’ve been preparing for the show, I was reminded that whilst I believe that being honest and giving your opinions freely at work can serve to benefit your career and relationship with your managers, it can also raise some difficult questions about where to draw the line. Is honesty always the best policy in the work place?
Transparency and honesty at work is a tricky one because it’s important to find the right balance between being true to yourself without hurting people’s feelings or causing arguments.
If you’re never honest or give your opinion at work you’ll be labelled a ‘yes’ man. This may mean you’re liked, but you won’t stand out from the crowd and it’s likely you’ll be unhappy because you’re not doing anything to proactively improve your working environment. Sometimes being honest can lead to improvements and innovations in the office and that’s why I encourage my staff to come to me with ideas, suggestions and feedback. However, I can appreciate it’s easy for me to say this because I’m the boss and I genuinely want my businesses to be as productive and innovative as possible.
It’s important to speak your mind when it can improve your work happiness, but when someone’s feelings are at stake then you need to re-think your approach.
Here are some scenarios where honesty may not be the best policy;
So what do you REALLY think of (insert name of colleague)?
No matter how much you struggle to work with a colleague, badmouthing them is always going to be fraught with danger, even if you genuinely cannot stand them. If this person is more senior than you, it might get back to them and impact your development within the company, or worse could make you look bitter or jealous. If the colleague is a junior, then you just look mean. You can share honest work related feedback about how best to work with this particular colleague to someone who has asked, but try to avoid speaking about them personally, especially if you’re true opinion is a negative one. Whenever it comes to venting at the office, stay professional and only mention work-related difficulties.
Do you think you’re underpaid?
If you feel undervalued, that you’re not getting paid what you deserve and someone asks you this question, of course you’re going to shout ‘YES!’. BUT, you need to think carefully about your position. This is the moment to use facts and research to your advantage and keep emotions out of it. Collect data about your role, function and industry and expected salaries at your level. Present this information alongside a list of achievements and the value you’ve added to the business for your employer. Then, it won’t be about “feelings” but about what you deserve in light of the research and evidence.