Elevating to higher positions within an organization often brings an unexpected side effect: a communication barrier. As individuals ascend, those around them tend to withhold information, fearing repercussions or potential risks, whether real or imagined. This is consequences in action and is prevalent in all leadership scenarios.

This invisible barrier forms what can be described as a "happy bubble," shielding leaders from candid feedback or crucial information. However, this bubble needs to be punctured for effective leadership.

It's an unfortunate reality, especially for genuinely empathetic individuals who find themselves in leadership roles. This phenomenon isn't just unfair; it's a genuine obstacle that needs acknowledgment. Leaders must recognize this issue, particularly when seeking input, especially vital early warnings about potential issues.

Building a culture of trust isn't enough. Even among those who trust their leader, there's a reluctance to share critical information necessary for informed decision-making. It's about mutual responsibility. Employees must feel it's their duty to speak up, and leaders need to respond with gratitude and open-mindedness.

Now at Hollin we believe it’s not enough to tell you about all these issues and then withhold the answers to how to fix it. The answer to this is to actively work to overcome it. Here are some ideas; anonymous surveys, get someone else to ask for the information then circle back reacting well, suggestion boxes, change your language (out of 10, how ready are we for this deadline?), experiment out loud – “I’m doing this to create a safe place for you all to tell me the bad news as soon as you suspect it.”

The only measure of success here is that people bring you bad news early, challenge you easily without hesitation. If they aren’t, you haven’t burst your happy bubble yet.

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