"HONEST LIES"

"It's against the law."

That was the explanation an airport cart driver gave me for why he had to let me off short of where I wanted to go. His statement is a falsehood.

Did he actually believe that is the law, or does he not understand the distinction between company policy and the law? Or perhaps he simply wanted to turn around, head back to the gate where the plane was still unloading, and gain more tips? All I know is that his statement was false.

"ISO requires it."

I've heard that claim falsely made more times than I can count. Do these folks not understand the distinction between the actual requirements of ISO and how their company has chosen to meet those requirements? Or do they merely want to end a discussion. All I know is that the statement has often been untrue.

This sloppy language is all too common, and portends broader carelessness. It also reduces trust, respect, and the opportunity to think.

The ability to recognize and communicate distinctions is essential to excellence. The energy to understand distinctions is fundamental to improvement. Acceptance of shabby descriptions as fact reflects missed opportunity.

Engage your team in clarifying conversation when they, or you, state an "honest lie." Best case you will educate and align; worst case you demonstrate accountability for the words individuals choose to use.

In either case, your organization benefits.

The Starting Pistol

George Bernard Shaw:
"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”

The Tape

Rebecca Morgan:
"Words matter, in changing a mind or anything else."

November 17-18, 2015: Orange County, CA: The sixth annual American Manufacturing Strategies Summit packs keynotes, small group deep dives and practitioner presentations into 2 full days. Technology, data analytics, Opex/Lean/CI, and workforce retention and development are just a few of the topics on the program. And as with most conferences, the best conversations often occur in the hallway with peers.

December 8-9, 2015: NY, NY: Innovation is important to every company, but not every company understands how to think about it, how to do it, or how to manage it. The Chief Innovation Officer Summit can help you answer those questions.

January 24-25, 2016: Brussels, Belgium: Packaging is protection, marketing, handling, costly and environmentally challenging. The Global Packaging Summit is designed to provide state-of-the-art information to help you master all those challenges, and more.

April 12-14, 2016: Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business presents its 4th annual Leading Through Excellence Summit. Join your peers in this opportunity to learn. Keynotes, breakout sessions, and simulations are augmented by workshops and plant tours.