Afrinection guest blogger Nikki Viljoen shares her thoughts on being straightforward in business.

In her Leadership Insights nuggets, Dr Renate Volpe says “Straightforwardness simply means aligning the verbal and non-verbal messages to mean the same.”

Well that makes logical sense and it is also pretty straightforward don’t you think?  So why it is so difficult to do?  Why did Renate feel so strongly about it that she had to use it as one of her 50 tips on Leadership Insights?  Well my guess would be because often people who are aspiring to be leaders just don’t do it.

I know that even in the smallest of businesses, there is often a hidden agenda, there is often some sort of politics going on – whether it is a conspiracy of the staff to do whatever they can to upset the bosses or drive a wedge between senior management or indeed discredit their peers.  Often the bosses or management set it up so that the staff are constantly striving to undermine each other in an attempt to be ‘teacher’s pet’ and to score the most brownie points.

For me this is just counter productive and a waste of time and energy, never mind the distrust that it causes and often the result is a less than perfect product or less than satisfactory service for the client.  Besides that, how on earth do people remember what they have said to whom – it’s like trying to play several games of chess all at once – far too much irritation and drama for me!

Those who know me, know that I would far rather have a simple life and that for me is just telling it like it is!  That way the verbal will definitely match up with the body language and the rest of the non-verbal indicators, everyone will know where they are, what is expected of them, what my perception is and we can get on with the task at hand – building sustainable businesses, building sustainable relationships with and for my clients. Being known for my integrity and credibility and ensuring my deliverables take place on time.

I’d far rather have that agenda out in the open and transparent for all to see than all the other antics that go with hidden agenda and the political games that so many others play.

What about you – which journey would you rather take?

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About the author: Nikki Viljoen is a guest blogger for Afrinection and is the founder of Viljoen Consulting. Her website is  www.viljoenconsulting.co.za and she can be reached on Twitter and Facebook.