— To follow is a bullet of wisdom on leadership. It comes from Tom’s rifle, named Shot, who has seen it all. You’ll get the drift by clicking Blog in the menu at www.tomnewhouse.com. —
Excuse my grammar. I’m making a point. The way people talk about things shapes their reality. I was once involved in a hunting accident. Folks got to saying I was at fault. I wasn’t, but that did not matter. Except to those who were directly involved, I was the culprit.
Do not lie! Never. Do not distort. But as a leader you have to be ahead of the game when it comes to talk. You need to form the narrative. I know that sounds political and manipulative, but hang with me. All organizations must change in order to continue to thrive. You need to cast change in ways that are exciting, even endearing. If you don’t, the forces of the status quo will prevail. My point goes beyond change. Think organizational opportunities, customer negotiations, community relations, etc. Shaping the narrative is part of leading.