Part of leadership is communication - and one of the keys in communication for a leader is making sure to “get ahead of the story” with your communication. Here is the reason …
When we fail to clarify what is going on in our organization through good communication – people begin to “interpret” the story in their own way – which may or may not be accurate based on the real circumstances. So, a leader needs to be mindful to “get ahead of the story” in communication.
For example, when there is some kind of change or “news” in your organization, you need to plan to communicate ahead of the change if possible – so people understand the reasons for the change. In the absence of clear communication, the story can sometimes “spin” in directions that require a significant amount of “correction” which takes extra effort and sometimes requires some “repair” to clarify.
So, if you want to lead well – be sure to provide leadership in your communication – and get the story out to people with clarity before they develop and unclear and possibly inaccurate story on their own.
