Are You an Emperor with No Clothes?

Don’t be the leader whose team is afraid to tell you the truth. Teaching your team that it's safer to stay silent only blinds you to critical issues.

In a fast-growing startup, your team's insights are invaluable. Alarm bells should be ringing if you're only hearing “everything is fine” and “no blockers.”

So how do you cultivate a culture where the hard truths are welcome?

• Be Vulnerable: As the team leader, the buck stops with you. Own your part in team issues and show that you’re not afraid to own up to problems or failures.

• Respond with Appreciation: Greet bad news with grace and gratitude to build trust

• Embrace Problems: Show that challenges are opportunities for growth, not shame.

A team that is better at identifying and solving problems will adapt faster than the competition.

Seek out the bad news and the problems, and make sure your team is comfortable telling you that you have food in your teeth.