“The day the soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”
Let’s talk about Colin Powell for a second. This guy wasn’t just any pencil-pusher in a suit. He was a four-star general who climbed the ranks from ROTC to become the first African American to serve as the U.S. Secretary of State. We’re talking about a man who advised presidents, navigated international crises, and led thousands of troops. In other words, he was the LeBron James of leadership, but with more medals and fewer slam dunks.
Powell’s career spanned over four decades, from the battlefields of Vietnam to the halls of the White House. He faced life-or-death decisions where the consequences of dishonesty could be catastrophic. So when he talks about leadership, it’s not some theoretical mumbo-jumbo from a textbook. It’s battle-tested wisdom that’s been forged in the crucible of real-world challenges.
Let’s break down what he’s saying in this quote. Powell is essentially telling us that the moment your team stops trusting you enough to bring you their problems, you’ve failed as a leader. And you know what’s the fastest way to lose that trust? Lying. Whether it’s a white lie, a lie by omission, or a full-blown, pants-on-fire fib, dishonesty is like kryptonite to leadership.
Think about it. If you’re not honest with your team, one of two things will happen: either they’ll figure out you can’t be trusted to help them (because you’re full of it), or they’ll think you don’t give a rat’s ass about their issues. Either way, you’ve just turned yourself from a leader into a glorified scarecrow – a figurehead that everyone ignores.
Don’t Lie to Your Team.
It’s not just morally wrong; it’s also incredibly stupid. In the age of instant communication and digital paper trails, lies have shorter half-lives than a radioactive isotope in a nuclear reactor.
Let this sink in:
“Trust is the currency of leadership, and every lie is like lighting a stack of that currency on fire.”
Once you’re caught in a lie (and trust me, you will be caught), you might as well change your title to “Ex-Manager In Charge of Rebuilding Trust and Groveling.”
You know, this reminds me of something your grandpa, my father, used to say. He’d look me square in the eye and ask,
“Why lie when the truth will do?”
Noel J Leigh
Now, my father wasn’t just throwing around catchy phrases. This man was a walking masterclass in integrity. He came to this country as an Irish immigrant, built a successful used car business from the ground up, and did it all without ever compromising his principles.
When Noel said, “Why lie when the truth will do,” he was passing down a nugget of wisdom that’s worth its weight in gold. Think about it. Lying is exhausting. You have to remember what you said, who you said it to, and make sure your stories line up. It’s like trying to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle – eventually, you’re going to drop something and get burned.
But the truth? The truth just is. You don’t have to remember it because you lived it. You don’t have to worry about keeping your stories straight because there’s only one story – the true one. Your grandpa understood that honesty isn’t just the best policy; it’s the easiest policy.
In the world of leadership, this principle is your North Star. When you’re tempted to sugarcoat bad news, fudge the numbers, or tell a “harmless” white lie to avoid conflict, hear Grandpa Noel’s voice in your head asking, “Why lie when the truth will do?”
Now, I’m not saying you need to channel your inner Jim Carrey from “Liar Liar” and blurt out every thought that crosses your mind. There’s a difference between lying and strategic omission. You don’t need to tell your team about the company’s secret plan to replace the coffee machine with a youth-sucking energy extractor. But if asked directly, “Are there going to be layoffs?” and you know there are, don’t channel your inner politician with a “We’re exploring all options to optimize our human resource allocation.”