A couple of years ago Mark, a senior VP, complained to me, “Once I put on a suit, nobody told me the truth anymore.”

Whether you wear a suit, a dress, or even jeans to work, if you’re in a position of leadership, you know exactly what Mark was talking about: when there’s a power differential, the most natural reaction for the less-powerful person is certainly not “speaking truth to power.” We humans have an instinct for self-preservation, after all.

Still, if you’re a manager reading this article, your approach to staff is probably more about empowering them to contribute their best work than about the old “Do it my way or you’re fired!” approach.

That means you need actual information from them about how you can be what Liz Wiseman calls a “multiplier”—a person who makes others feel smarter and more capable. To get that information, there are four concrete actions you can take that work with most people:

1.    Make feedback a normal part of the culture. Whether you’re offering positive or corrective feedback, the “we’re all looking for ways to do our best” approach usually succeeds where the “I’m right and you’re wrong” angle would fail.

2.    Ask for feedback using the ONE THING tactic: “What is One Thing I already do that helps you do your best work?” Then ask, “What is One Thing I could do in the future to help you contribute your absolute best?”

3.    Keep in mind that generic feedback requests rarely work. You’re most likely to get a blank deer-in-the-headlights look in response. It’s like a bad teacher or speaker asking at the end of a talk: “Any questions?” (Nope. Nothing.)

4.    If a staff member does have feedback for you, thank them, listen and solicit examples. Explain special circumstances very briefly only if you have to. But DO NOT DEFEND.

In an upcoming post I’ll discuss in more detail how to receive critical feedback–so you will hear truth again!

What tactics do you use to get employees to be frank with you?  Join the conversation by adding a comment below.

If you’d like to learn more about training and coaching for leadership, management and workplace communication, please click on our training workshop list or contact us for a free consultation.