This is all about having the professional courage to speak up and be honest. Blunt conversations are hard because sometimes the truth hurts. We tend to play nice for fear of hurting feelings or damaging relationships. The downfall of playing nice on the surface means that the lack of courageous candor can lead to stuffy silos, dysfunctional teams and ugly corporate politics. Yuck!
How we implement this at HighRadius
Keep it classy, not sassy
It is important to make sure that the blunt, constructive feedback is professional and not a personal attack. Utilize EQ (emotional intelligence) and CSI (context sensitive intelligence) to ensure that you are tailoring your message appropriately to the audience so that it is received in the best way possible. This is about straight talk and avoiding the extra fluff.
Sassy example: Your execution is horrible.
Classy example: We could have run this project in a better way. Here’s how.
Your brand is at stake
Having the freedom to be blunt should be seen like a breath of fresh air and encourages the open exchange of ideas. This should not be taken for granted! Taking advantage of this core value to be irrational or disruptive to collaboration as a pattern will only deteriorate your credibility with peers and managers. It is a risk to your personal brand. So speak with the intent of being the best version of yourself.
