Political pundits advise the President to have news conferences early and often. Why?

1. The public wants to know what’s happening and what the President’s doing about it. They want to know his command of the issues; how aware, involved, and decisive he is regarding critical events and breaking news.

2. The more often the President meets the press and the public, the more on top of issues he has to be.

Political advisors aside, that’s sound advice for anyone in charge of anything. It’s of particular importance to people who have information that impacts the lives of others.

Why is it important to inform others, consistently, concisely, yet comprehensively, of events and plans that affect them? The answer appears self-evident, yet those responsible for the telling (and who should know better) are too often missing in action.

What keeps leadership and management from stepping up? Let’s examine the more obvious reasons, and deal with them one at a time:

• They don’t know what’s going on.
• They don’t know what to do with what’s going on.
• There’s so much going on they don’t know where to begin.
• They don’t know how their employees will act if they tell them what’s going on.
• Their employees might have some strong opinions about what’s going on.

They don’t know what’s going on: Well meaning employers can over delegate what they are least interested in doing or knowing, entrusting others with more decision-making authority than they should have. When the buck stops it’s on the wrong desk. Employers need to understand what’s happening and anticipate the consequences that flow from the information they’re getting.

They don’t know what to do with what’s going on: When employers and their managers feel overwhelmed by the mass and speed of changing events, they get stuck between where they’ve been and where they need to go. If they prefer the tactical to the strategic, they’re putting out fires without identifying the cause of the blaze. Savvy leaders think and act strategically and analytically. They maintain vision and perspective as they unravel and simplify the complexities of cause and effect. They communicate that understanding to tactical managers and their employees, who fix what’s broken and get the new job done.

There’s so much going on they don’t know where to begin: Managers who procrastinate are avoiding what comes first in favor of what comes last. Effective managers dial into the issues and ignore the static. They focus their time and energy on what’s important, instead of what’s making the most noise.

They don’t know how their employees will act if they tell them what’s going on: When leaders and managers side step issues to avoid the prospect of conflict, they further complicate problems, erode trust and diminish loyalty. It takes courage, honesty, and integrity to manage employees and the information that affects them. Effective leaders and managers are knowledgeable about the choices they make and realistic about the consequences of their actions.

Employees might have strong and opposing opinions about what’s going on: If employers adapt the adage, “what they don’t know won’t hurt them,” they wrongly assume their employees live on the dark side of the moon. Today’s workers are savvy. They are highly aware of talk in the press, in the markets, and on the street. What they don’t know, they create, resulting in rumors that hurt everyone.

If employers avoid sharing information because they fear strong, negative reactions, they’re delaying the inevitable, multiplied. Whether the news is good or bad, employees want to know. They want to prepare themselves and plan, emotionally and intellectually, for what might happen. If it turns out fine, they’re relieved. If it doesn’t, they’re ready. Employees trust bosses who demonstrate consideration, compassion, and consistently tell the truth.

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Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.joycerichman.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.