Honesty is the best policy

I've always been a big believer in honesty being the best policy.

I think it builds relationships stronger and helps no end with fluid communication. I aim to apply this attitude to all aspects of my life, from my relationship with my wife, to the relationships I build with clients.

With an honest approach you avoid the complicated cat and dog game of ensuring you don't reveal something which perhaps you shouldn't. You'll talk freely knowing that whatever you say shouldn't come as a surprise.

This should give you a much greater degree of efficiency when communicating anything between parties. You talk openly about associated costs, your understanding of requirements, how you envisage implementing a project and when it's going to be delivered - realistically.

In this current climate, the one thing we shouldn't have to pay for is transparency and honesty, these should always come for free. While people might not be spending big at the moment, it's a good time to give that little extra to ensure that when the economy does pick up again any relationships you do have are stronger than they were before.

This transparency and honesty should not only exist in the relationships I have with clients and staff, but also in my relationships with my suppliers.

I expect my suppliers for both my personal life and my work life to be transparent in what they're offering me and how much it's going to cost me.

This isn't what I usually find holds true, but when you do find honesty it's a refreshing change and always improves my appreciation or loyalty with that supplier/brand.

Being honest doesn't need to mean telling everyone everything. Knowing when to hold your tongue on a matter is a skill that's taken me years to learn; and I still put my foot in it every now and again.

With honesty you build trust; trust is invaluable and will become even more invaluable when the markets start to pick up again and clients marketing and advertising budgets once more being to grow.

If you've spent the quieter times building relationships and developing that trust, it should reap good rewards at a later stage. But being honest isn't about expecting anything in return.

This trust relationship built on honesty shouldn't just apply to your relationships with your clients, it should be as equally important between you and your staff.

A relationship that is based on honesty and trust with staff should create an environment of mutual respect. This environment should produce a more efficient production environment where staff are willing to go the extra mile to deliver a truly excellent product.

It's a simple concept that can be applied to all walks of life, but sadly in this competitive world we live, one that is often over looked in favour of profit.

The two shouldn't be mutually exclusive, in fact in my eyes it should be quite the opposite.

An honest discussion is always more effective for all parties, something I always actively encourage.


Related links:

Managing expectations - Keeping everyone happy - Digital Signals http://www.digital-constructions.com/blog/2009/06/managing-expectations-keep-everyone.html

Universal translation- The global communication mashup - Digital Signals http://www.digital-constructions.com/blog/2009/04/universal-translation-global.html

Client & staff engagement - The importance of soft skills - Digital Signals http://www.digital-constructions.com/blog/2009/02/client-staff-engagement-importance-of.html

The art of conversation - A brief synopsis - Digital Signals http://www.digital-constructions.com/blog/2009/03/art-of-conversation-brief-synopsis.html

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