3 Ways to NOT be the Boss with a Big Mouth
Can you imagine working for Donald Trump and having to deal with his latest political rampage? Or working for a boss that shares way too much information (WTMI)? Whether it’s a blowhard like Trump or an overly personal sharer, no one wants to be subjected to this type of behavior. If you want to avoid having a reputation for being a big mouth, here’s what you need to do:
Keep your personal information to yourself. I once had a boss that told me about his poor upbringing, dysfunctional family and his brother’s untimely death in a boat accident- all within the first hour of meeting him! This type of sharing should be saved for close friends and family, not your employees. TMI makes any listener uncomfortable, but when it’s the boss, it creates a whole new level of anxiety. It’s okay to share some personal information once you have developed a relationship, but always let the employee set the limits to what is being discussed. If they keep it casual, you keep it casual.
Don’t share confidences. When one of your employees tells you something in confidence they mean, “do not share with anyone”. They don’t mean you can tell your peers, your boss, or worse, the Human Resource department. Unless they have violated a policy or code of ethics, no one means no one. By sharing this private information, not only have you broken your promise to the employee, but the personyou’ve told will know you’re not trustworthy. And believe me, they will not keep that information to themselves. It’s a lose-lose situation for all.
Stop believing your own hype. Between Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump, I’m not sure who’s more arrogant. They really believe that making poor children work as janitors is a great idea. Too many times people that elevate to the top of their profession think everything they say and do is right and beyond debate. Let’s face it; this kind of thinking is what got us in our current financial crisis. You’ve heard the saying “the bigger your mouth, the smaller your ears”, so close your mouth and start listening. You’ll be surprised how many great ideas are out there.
The reality is that no one wants to work for someone with a big mouth. Whether it’s from tooting your own horn or sharing too much information. Have you ever had to work for a big mouth? We’d love to hear your stories.