As the spokesperson a large state agency, reporters often asked me for confidential information. Many times, state law prevented me from providing the information.
My PRSA Code of Ethics also prevented me from lying. I couldn’t say, “I don’t know” or “I don’t have that information” when I honestly did. Instead, I pointed the reporter to the exact Michigan law that prevented me from sharing the information, often using a phrase like, “I would love to share this information with you, but legally, I cannot. I must comply with the law.”
My mentor once expressed his philosophy on lying quite succinctly:
You lie; you die – at least professionally.
He’s right. Liars have no place in the business world. And yet, right now, “truth” seems to be open for interpretation. (That’s another blog post for the future.)
White Lies Are NOT Kind
We are conditioned to tell white lies, those little half-truths that allow us to get along and go along with the crowd. And they’re just as damaging in the long run.
If someone asks you how they look, you can be kind AND truthful. If someone is sporting a truly awful look, be kind. “You know, I’m not a fan of that style of dress/shirt/jacket, but the color certainly brings out your eyes.”
Or another option: “Do you like it? Because that’s really all that matters! You should always wear things that make you feel confident.”
White lies are like a gateway drug. They signal to everyone that it’s okay to tell half-truths which lead to bigger, more dangerous lies.
Liars Create a Toxic Workplace
One of the questions I often was asked in job interviews was what did I need from my supervisor to be successful. My answer was always the same: “I need honesty and trust from my boss.”
Certainly there are times when my boss cannot share information. If the boss ever says, “I’m sorry, but I can’t share those details right now” then the conversation ends. It’s truthful; it show integrity and demonstrates respect for confidentiality.
I respect honesty and forthright communication, even when information cannot be shared for legitimate reasons.
But, if your boss lies to you, trust is destroyed. Any hope of an honest, respectful professional relationship is gone. If senior leadership routinely provides false information, the workplace is toxic.
You simply can’t trust that anyone will do right by you – no matter what you do in that environment.
Writer and Raconteur 