To Develop The Best Business Model Possible, Political Correctness Must Go.
“Political correctness” is the destroyer of growth and development. It’s only result is mediocrity.
The cure—developing candor, freeing your people to speak the brutal truth without risk (in fact with encouragement and rewards), supporting and promoting candid discussion—supports the free flow of ideas, resulting in a better business model. Unfortunately, we are all taught at a very early age that if you cannot say something nice, you shouldn’t say anything at all. Ridiculous! We must root out this “politically correct” concept.
Unfortunately, it is easier to say nice things, to support existing programs and managers whether or not they are successful or the best possible choices. We want to make each other “look good”. Not in my business; I want to do better at any cost, even if it’s personal attack on my ideas and programs if this yields a better result, and that is really what any business owner wants to achieve.
The more ideas (good or bad) there are, the more involvement in open debate, the more creativity produced, the more criticism given and received, and the more risk taken, the better we and the business will be. That’s a certainty. The more inspection and debate, the faster a business can overcome obstacles and succeed, and time is sometimes everything.
In fact, while it may appear that supporting a manager with false support creates trust, as face is saved and feelings not hurt, the opposite is actually true. Telling the brutal truth supports the development of real trust as one can get to the higher truth—the better result—and saving face should never be an objective. Rather, running a better business should be the goal. This requires managers to control their ego, get out of their emotion and commit to making a better business, presumably what everyone wants.
To nurture this culture, a small business owner must praise candid communication and reward it. This will eventually lead to a culture where the brutal truth is expected and received and everyone can participate, creating an environment where saving face is not the objective, but creating a better business model is. Trust is developed and success insured. The result of candor is a better business, newer and fresher ideas, tremendous cost savings and huge profit enhancement, as well as an environment where people are respected and want to contribute as there is no more risk in telling the truth as they see it, right or wrong.
The more in on the debate, the better the results will be. The more freedom there is to speak the truth, the more truth you will hear.
All this from candid discussion, eliminating political correctness and supporting and respecting everyone’s ideas no matter what they may be. Everyone wants to be heard, open that door and benefit, everyone wins.
