Truth without the thorns
Direct doesn't mean ‘rude’.
When we talk about ‘saying how it is’ we're not looking for bluntness that wounds others in the team. We're seeking clarity that prompts action.
The most effective truths aren't delivered with sharp edges. They don't undermine psychological safety or diminish someone's humanity.
What they do require is the courage to lose the corporate jargon, the spin, the comfortable ambiguity that lets everyone interpret your words however they wish.
The irony of this is that when we communicate with genuine directness — paired with respect for the listener(s) — teams actually feel safer. Because now they know where they stand. Now they understand what's expected. Now they can trust that what's said is what's meant.
In a world drowning in carefully crafted messaging, the simple truth stands out.
Just make sure it stands for something worth hearing.