You want to tell them what you know–but can’t. And you can’t stay silent either. There’s really only one thing you can say.
When you’re in a leadership position, you know things you can’t share with employees. That’s a given.
Here’s a typical situation. Sales are down, financial results are poor, layoff rumors have been swirling for weeks. Your employees know you’ve had several meetings to discuss options, one as recently as yesterday. During that meeting you decided to lay off several employees the following week.
One employee says, “I know you have been talking about layoffs. I’m really worried. I can’t afford to lose my job. Can you please tell me what’s going to happen?”
Now you’re in a terrible spot. You shouldn’t say. You can’t say. But you’ve built a solid rapport with your employees, always answering questions and giving honest feedback. How can you respond without breaking confidentiality yet also without breaking the sense of trust you’ve built?
…to read this article in full, visit leading US small business resource, Inc.
