When there’s an elephant in the room introduce him.” Randy Pausch
We’ve all heard the expression, “the elephant in the room,” which acknowledges an important or even controversial topic. These are real conversations that ought to be had between leaders and their people. Real conversations are ones that stick, ones that get to core issues, and ones that, if done right, build trust. Of course, it is not always healthy to rush toward controversy but leaders can ask subtle questions, showing genuine concern to tease out core feelings, to speak from the heart.
Here are some fictitious elephant scenarios you may run into:
A subordinate’s demeanor.
“Jeremy, you are not yourself this morning. Is everything ok?” A good leader picks up on what’s going on but does not sprint toward accusations or reprimand. The leader needs to be prepared to explain what they see in Jeremy’s behavior and listen to Jeremy about what’s going on.
Your boss’s impatience.
“Boss, I can tell you are losing patience on this project. Why don’t we carve out some extra time so I can show you the current progress, obstacles, and risks?” The subordinate leader in this case notices the impatience and moves directly toward it. The alternative would be not to say anything in hopes that his or her patience will eventually return.
Admiration for your team…
