October 25, 2005

How Leaders Get Through Troubled Times

Fast Company has the results of a survey asking readers how a leader would best get through troubled times. The number one response - by more than 2-to1 was "By keeping everyone informed." (52%).

And yet it's amazing to see many so-called leaders hunker down and hide the truth. They may "communicate," but they don't "inform." They don't shoot straight, come clean about problems, and communicate with true transparency.

It's not about 'spin.' It's about truth. People gravitate to truth, no matter what the message is.

We have some great clients who tell us as soon as they know about something big that's happening...good or bad. They ask us how best to keep people informed. They don't want us to sugar coat the facts. They rightfully believe that if they tell people what they know, people will feel that they are respected and trusted, and they will endow their leaders with those same qualities: respect and trust.

van Gogh Drawings

I saw an extraordinary exhibit of drawings by Vincent van Gogh. He was a self-taught artist whose painting career didn't span much more than 10 years. And yet he was extraordinarily prolific.

I was struck by the way he drew the same scene many times, interpreting it slightly differently each time. I realized how limited I am when I think there's only one creative answer for a client. That's simply not the case. There are many answers, each of which has something distinctive to commend it.

Cezanne always said he wasn't painting the landscape or the still life itself, as much as he was painting the feeling that his subject matter engendered. So, what's the feeling that represents a particular product or service we're trying to communicate...and which creative approach most compelling evokes that feeling. That's the winner.

We are very fortunate that van Gogh left incredible records of the thoughts and motivations for his art, as he wrote numerous letters to his brother Theo. In a way, these documents are the "creative briefs" for what van Gogh produced. The words help clarify what he was trying to achieve, and - as with a creative brief - having those words helps one recognize whether the execution is on target with its desired goal.