The Emporer’s New Clothes

Do you remember the children’s story about the Emporer who asked a tailor to make him a new suit of clothes? The tailor pretended to make the clothes, and even convinced the Emporer that he looked beautiful in his new outfit, even though he was actually naked. And to make it worse, no one wanted to give the bad news to the Emporer out of fear of his reaction, so they all just said how beautiful he looked, even though he was naked! Then, during a public procession, a little boy said out loud “Mommy, why isn’t the Emporer wearing any clothes?” The Emporer, upon hearing the news that he was indeed naked, was humiliated and ran home.

Ok, so what does that children’s story have anything to do with you? Whether you are a manager or an employee, you need to create a work place whereby you can give and receive bad news without retribution. We need to be honest about situations. We need to manage up, down and sideways. If our boss needs to receive news that is less than good, you need to deliver it, but factually. Do not give excuses or deflection to someone else. Just say it. If your co-worker is not carrying his load of the effort, you need to politely, but factually tell him that. And if your staff meember is not doing what he signed up for, then you need to again tell them that, but factually. Do not, no matter who are talking to, add opinion. Facts, facts, facts. Once you add an opinion, you run the risk of being proven wrong, and becoming a significant part of the problem.

The higher up in the org chart I went, the better looking I got, the funnier I got, and I even started smelling better. Well, that is how some people made me feel. But, finding a truthful, candid co-worker who would tell me straight up what they thought, was like finding money in my jeans – priceless.

So, the next time your  boss is naked, look him in the eye and tell him – he will appreciate it.

Mike