[December 14, 2018] I watched in amazement as a sitting U.S. president attempted to lie craftily. Bill Clinton, charismatic and good-old-boy, was trying hard to justify why he wasn’t lying when he said: “There is nothing going on between us [referring to sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky].” Before a federal grand jury, he famously said, “It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.”1
I’m always working hard not to be misunderstood. However, we all use words with multiple meanings that depend upon several factors; like the tone of voice, setting, and placement in a sentence. One word I use often is the word “good” and, of course, I do my best to ensure precision in when I say it. Like I try to do, it is important that all leaders must have absolute clarity in their words and deeds.2
When I use the word “good,” it means to be both effective and moral. These two elements are required to gain an understanding of what I write and say. It would, for example, be incorrect for me to say that Adolf Hitler was a ‘good’ leader. His behavior would meet only one criterion; him being successful in what he wanted to achieve but horrific from a moral standpoint.
There are those who will call Hitler a good leader because he was able to accomplish so much for post World War I Germany. I believe they are speaking only from describing him as an ‘effective’ leader and are excluding the idea that he was ‘moral.’ Not knowing which meaning is where confusing often sneaks in and causes angst.
Many organizations use a technique called terms of reference (TOR) to highlight the meaning of key concepts and terms. A detailed TOR example can be read as part of the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection EIA Technical Review Guide and is here for reference (see PDF link here). Examples are a productive way of helping to clarify difficult, complex, or confusing ideas. More should be done socially to steer clear of easily avoidable problems.
The story behind president Bill Clinton’s dishonesty taught me several valuable lessons; most of which are rather obvious; like don’t lie. It also taught me that the meaning of words is important. Honesty and clarity are the best courses of action any senior leader can take to earn the respect of those who follow.
- Respect is another word often misunderstood. I wrote about that a year ago and explained that its meaning could mean two completely different things (see link here). Respect is one concept that can truly get us into trouble quickly if we are not aware of the implications of respect and how it differs across cultures.