A friend of mine missed out on a promotion that he thought he deserved.
He delivered the results. He was a good people leader. On paper, he thought he looked like the best person for the job. And he still missed out.
Why did he miss out? Maybe his results were not as good as he thought? Maybe his people skills had gaps after all? Or maybe he was treated unfairly.
He doesn’t know because he was never given any feedback. Now I seem him trying very hard to stay positive at work. But without any feedback to make sense of the decision, he is angry and frustrated and looking for other jobs.
What happens when you don’t explain your decisions? Well, people will jump to their own conclusions – which are often negative.
Maybe it is sometimes uncomfortable explaining your decisions. But I’d like to think that in the long term, the reward is worth it.
When you explain the reasons for decisions, it is easier for others to respect the decision. It is easier for you to respect yourself. And it is easier for others to learn what they need to do if they want to succeed.