The Honest Leader

A place to ask the big questions about honesty, authenticity and the challenges of leadership

“ the question of choosing deception or honesty is not one of ethics, but of wellbeing and the integrity of our social fabric. Each time someone chooses to lie, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, a thread unravels. No big reveal that deception has occurred is necessary, no treachery named, no betrayal felt, no punishment to the deceiver doled out – it is the act itself that harms.”

Elena Svetieva 12/10/24 Elena Svetieva 12/10/24

I hope this email finds you well: Authenticity pitfalls and AI

Leaders are finding efficient ways to use ChatGPT and other LLMs to craft their emails, from the everyday to the enterprise-level communication. But we need to be aware of the authenticity pitfalls that come with this practice.

Getting Real About White Lies and Omissions

We might see white lies and omissions as harmless - the secret sauce to good relationships at work and otherwise. A closer look reveals why this is not always the case.

When Honesty Goes Wrong: Three Lessons from MillerKnoll’s CEO

Andi Owens, CEO of MillerKnoll used an impassioned and honest mic-drop moment at the end of a company town hall. It went very, very wrong. Three honesty lessons from this leadership communication disaster.