THERE IS A HELL! - - - IT IS CALLED RETAIL LEAD, FOLLOW OR JUST GET OUT OF THE WAY! | Page 5

going through a kabuki dance. While this direct approach of saying what you mean may
startle, surprise, or discomfort others, you’re really better off knowing directly what was
meant rather than having to interpret, often incorrectly. This doesn’t mean you should be
insulting, just direct.
Next, “Mean what you say”. If you say what you mean, but you don’t really mean what
you say, what have you gained or what has the person you’re speaking with gained? If you
don’t mean what you say, you’re lying or at least misleading. There may be times when you
want to be careful not to hurt someone’s feelings or betray a trust, but that means being
diplomatic, not misleading. If you say what you mean, and mean what you say, you can
build a foundation of trust. You speak your mind, and stand behind what you’re saying. Done
right, people will recognize that while they may not always like or agree with what you say,
they know they will always get the straight scoop from you. By not coupling these two parts
together, trust relationships will become difficult if not impossible.
Finally, “Do what you say you’ll do”. If you commit to do something, follow through!
Deliver on what you’ve promised. Let people see that your word is your bond. If
circumstances prevent you from delivering fully, report back the cause of the problem. By
saying what you mean and meaning what you say, you’ve gone a long way to build trust
with the people you work and deal with. If you don’t then follow through on your
commitments, that trust will not only be squandered, it will leave a very bad taste in other
people’s m ouths. You’ve led them to believe you and trust you, and then you let them down.
Trust is difficult to build, but extremely easy to destroy. Be the person you would like to be
and the person you would like others to be.

This is much like the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, but
I believe “Say what you mean, mean what you say, and do what you say you’ll do”
goes beyond that. It lets people know that you are a straight shooter who tells it like it is and
delivers on your commitments. You are someone who can be trusted and valued.
Now of course, we’re all human and we sometimes fall short of our ideal behaviour. No one
is perfect. Still, when that happens, recognize it (sometimes this may be difficult, but as they
say recognizing that you have a problem is a critical first step), apologize sincerely for falling
short, and do what is required to correct your shortfall and go beyond what is required. Do
dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™

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