When leaders don't have answers, they must find them. Without truth, employees fill the gaps with rumors and gossip. Benjamin Franklin said a lie travels around the world while truth is still getting its pants on, and that speed difference is why accurate information matters.
Then that third piece of that bold communication strategy, it involves truth, which means if you don't know the answers, you've got to go get them. Because we do know a very important thing about the world right now. When people don't have the truth, they will invent their own version. That's the last thing your organization needs is rumors and gossip mill making things up. Or in that lovely quote that's attributed to Benjamin Franklin, although it's been said he didn't say it, A lie can make its way around the world while the truth is still getting its pants on. That is what happens when you don't have your information ready and available and in front of your people with the confidence of knowing that you gave them good information.
