To practice candor is to be open, honest and frank with others. Much like authenticity, candor is a trait that leaders should possess because it will allow them to be more real and relate better to their team.
Given the similarities between what it means to be candid and authentic, it’s no surprise that leadership expert Todd Dewett would encourage others to embrace candor and use it to communicate in their daily lives. This week, Todd wrote an article for HRExaminer in which he makes a case for candor.
Being candid is ethically correct.
Todd begins his piece by listing a few benefits you could experience by being candid, including efficiency, clarity and progress in the workplace. While these benefits are undoubtedly helpful for you and your team, there is one main reason you should decide to be candid with others: It is the ethically correct thing to do. Being dishonest is unacceptable in a majority of settings, but more so in a work environment. For this reason, Todd is a strong advocate for the use of candor.
Practice what you preach.
It’s not enough to just tell your team to practice candor. As a leader, you must model the way. In other words, you must walk the talk. In a recent video, Todd spoke about how leaders can push their teams to be authentic. The key takeaway here was that if leaders want their teams to be authentic, they must first be authentic themselves. The same goes for being candid.
If a leader wants to see a more open and honest team, they must first do the same. In addition, being candid does not mean to be rude, harsh or blunt with others. Keep this in mind as you start practicing candor. As a leader, you should exhibit the type of behavior you would like your employees to follow, which is why it’s important for you to show others that you embrace candor.
To read more of what Todd has to say about embracing and practicing candor, click here.
Book Todd Dewett For Your Next Event
Through previous jobs and life experience Todd Dewett has accumulated an extensive amount of knowledge in management, education and of course, leadership. He shares his knowledge with others through his popular keynotes in which he encourages attendees to be real and authentic. If you are in need of a speaker who will guide your team in becoming better leaders, Todd is the perfect choice. To book Todd for an upcoming event, please call 1.800.345.5607.
