“Be Honest With Me…” Three Words That Should Build Trust, Not Set a Trap

I had a manager once say to me: "I want your honest feedback. No sugarcoating. Tell me what I need to hear."

And so, taking the request at face value, I shared that her tendency to cut her team off and direct them how to solve each and every business problem for them was making her team hesitant to contribute in meetings, if not outright dismissed.

Though she was able to eke out a 'thank you' on her way out of my office, the body language said it all. Her jaw was clenched. Her smile went flat.

And the message was clear:

She didn't want honesty. She wanted validation.