Good to Great (4)

Great companies always face reality, however fierce. This is the third factor: confront the brutal fact. Just honest facing and accepting the fierce reality, great companies are usually able to see the solution easily. Well, to disclose the brutal facts, great companies’ level 5 leaders create open and transparent culture. They guarantee that all employees will be heard. The practices of level 5 leaders in this matter are (a) start with questions, not the answers; (b) create and facilitate dialogs and discussions, not dictating solutions; and (c) analyze and seek the problems, but not blaming people or finger-pointing.

For open interactions to occur, level 5 leaders limit their charisma so that employees are expected to have no hesitation to communicate with them. One last thing, motivating employees to accept and face brutal facts is only wasting time. That is why level 5 leaders are very concerned in getting the right people in the bus (see the second factor of good to great companies) from the beginning.