Franklin Roosevelt on December 8, 1941

Be honest!

Thats the sentiment that my friend John U. Bacon, best-selling author and sports historian, expressed in a recentcommentaryfor Michigan Radio. Bacon was referencing advice from the University of Michigans former sports information director, Bruce Madej, who said,First, lets start with the truth.While the advice is simple it is often ignored, and it leads to a failure of integrity.

Being honest about wrongdoing requires courage. The reason that organizations, large and small, for-profit and non-profit, get into trouble is that too often when a crisis strikes, the instinct is to protect the institution before addressing the harm done to its victims.

There is another aspect of honesty. Tell people what they need to hear. During a crisis, people are upset; they seek reassurance. A leader who delivers the truth and does so calmly and confidently gives people a reason to believe that the right people are in charge and will do what they can to improve the situation. At the same time, honesty dictates being straight with people. Just because they seek comfort does not mean you dispense bromides like everything will be better, trust me. No, be brutally honest.

A history lesson

A classic example of brutal honesty was Franklin Rooseveltsaddress to Congressand the nation on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese navys attack on Pearl Harbor. While we remember his comments as the Day of Infamy Speech, we forget the tenor and tone of his voice. It was firm and resolute. After excoriating the aggression, Roosevelt did not pull any punches. Although he did not reveal the full damage done to the U.S. Navy, but he did not sugarcoat the losses.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Then, Roosevelt asserted his leadership and his faith in our military.

As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

Roosevelt lastly turned to what had happened on this day of infamy into a righteous cause for all Americans.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

In the novel,The Kite Runner,the author Khaled Hosseini, writes, When you tell a lie, you steal someones elses right to the truth.

Honesty raises a cause to righteousness. Dishonesty taints not only the leader but also erodes faith in the institution. When people lose confidence in their leader, they also turn away from that institution. By contrast, as Roosevelt did, when people believe in their leader, they join with him to put things right.

Better then to face an ugly reality immediately than to have it rot. Be honest.

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