You lie, you lie, you lie like a rug!
Telling lies takes talent! It is an art, and once you start, you have to keep going. At least, that is what I have heard throughout my life. Whether it is a little white lie, a tall tale, an omission, a half-truth, fake news, or a blatant, outright lie, lying mostly causes harm. Lies have consequences. Lies are often designed to intentionally protect or destroy someone’s reputation. Lies can be used to manipulate a situation for personal gain.
Leaders have to be on their P’s and Q’s to determine what’s new and what’s true. Leaders must remain sharp enough to know when a lie is a lie, and the truth is the truth. Leaders must remain diligent to avoid lies that are hurtful, and designed to deceive. They must recognize that lying erodes trust. Leaders place themselves at tremendous risk when they lie because lies strain a relationship, hurt feelings, and can lead to conflicts and misunderstandings. Or, if bad and bold enough, the lie could lead to a lawsuit.
Lying can occur in various contexts. For example, what about the big, fat whopper you told the teacher when you were late to class? Or what about when you were caught doing something you should not have been doing, thinking the other person would never know the difference? Or better yet, what about when we shave a few years off of our age because we think we still look young and nobody will notice the gray that has now cropped up in our hair or popping out of our ears?
Lying is all around us, all the time, and it is a wonder we can still sift through to the truth--we hear it in our personal relationships, professional settings, politics, and legal proceedings. I was coaching a young woman earlier this week on how well she listened, and one of the questions I asked was: What do you do when someone is making untruthful comments? She said, "I tell them, 'stop lying' and get to the truth". I burst out laughing because she is a straight-up kinda woman, and I know she would say just that!
But, lying is not funny. It can have significant consequences, both for the person who lies and for those who are deceived by the lies. Leaders must stay vigilant because some people are really skilled at deception and at presenting others with false information. Some people would argue that there are times when lying is justified and acceptable, such as to protect someone’s identity. But, typically, lying results in a bad outcome and is generally considered negative behavior. In fact, the only lying that is actually good is when your rug lies flat!