Never assume you know see all the sides

In the world of work, there are hierarchies from which information trickles up or down. A lot of leaders pride themselves on keeping an open-door policy and ensuring everyone is comfortable with talking to them. In instances where some information may come to them, they act on it positively with the intention that the action will inspire more confidence. Right?

While not wrong, as a leader always have it at the back of your mind that you will never know the whole truth, only what your colleagues want you to know.

Most leaders have had the opportunity to grow in an organisation from the bottom-up, and if they are sincere, they will corroborate this, that they only shared with their bosses what their bosses needed to know. So as a leader, never assume you know all the sides.

Information whether from the bottom-up or the top-down is always on a need-to-know basis.