Truth and logic…

Today, one of my clients told me he really loved reading C.S. Lewis because of his logical approach. This was kinda funny because my client prefers rationalizing to being rational. Allow me to attempt to explain…

He told me he is replacing his gossip habit with truth telling and proceeded to tell me a story to demonstrate his learning and subsequent PA. His story fell apart seconds after he laid out his opening arguments. You see, he assumed what “she said” was truth and what “he said” was not. There was zero logic applied to either. You see, my client was relaying a story he hadn’t witnessed firsthand. He simply believed one told the truth and one not so much. He assumed way too much. He assumed because it was easier.

I asked my client to slow down and begin to think more logically,like Lewis, when attacking such a systemwide problem as gossip. I asked him to slow down and think. If two people marry the truth between them they have the chance to become ONE, right? “Yeah, I guess,” he replied. If these same two people become a system of 22 people, they have a chance to stay married to the truth, right? “Maybe, but it’s hard, almost unrealistic,” he blurted without thinking.

The truth is they have a chance but only if they model the way, teach the way, inspect the way, correct the way, fire the perpetual liar regardless their performance, and promote fighting to improve performance – not fighting to prove a point. The truth is size makes it harder with any system. Harder, not impossible. Harder, but possible if you follow a disciplined process. Harder but painful, in other words.

Next, I asked him to imagine another system of two that chooses to gossip instead of tell each other the truth. If these two practice some nice form of deciet, do they stand a chance at becoming ONE? “Nope, no chance.” If these same two people build a system of 22, what are the chances they are a truth telling system? “Zero.” My client suddenly woke up. He got where I was going. He blurted out his corrective action even though he didn’t necessarily like it. Progress.

You see, my client was capable of using reason and logic it was just easier to marry his mental models and not think. He was getting ready to act on hearsay, not truth. You do not confront a teammate with “he said, she said” kinda bullshit. “Where is the logic in that,” I challenged him. Talk about a total leap of faith…

Your system will not get better telling lies. Your system will not get better telling half truths. Your system will not get better telling some kinda truth to some people and some other kinda truth to others. Your system will not get better with back biting. Your system will not get better when “cya” is in your culture. Your system will not get better when you avoid hard truth telling by looking away. Your system will not get better until you get better. And, you can start getting better today if you believed truth and logic go together.

Truth and logic. When you think about it, it only makes sense…