Frankly Speaking: Embracing Boldness Over Niceness

Sara Mueller’s observations on communication struggles in leadership highlight a pervasive issue: the discomfort and avoidance prevalent among managers and employees when it comes to difficult conversations. These behaviors lead to friction, burnout, defensiveness, silos, and moments of regret. Common advice suggests that we need to be trained in empathetic communication. However, I propose a different solution: frankness and boldness over mere niceness.

Our societal and organizational norms often push us to adopt overly polite and agreeable communication styles, which can stifle honest discourse and innovative thinking. As seen in childhood and professional environments, we tend to mimic communication styles that avoid conflict, leading to a lack of accountability and open dialogue in teams responsible for delivering exceptional service and innovation.

To address this, my approach emphasizes the importance of speaking up and objecting to behaviors that hinder progress, using tools designed to facilitate such boldness. For instance, the SpatzAI toolkit encourages team members to actively engage in micro-conflict resolution through structured objection steps—Caution, Object, and Stop—ensuring that all voices are heard and respected.

Groups often resist original ideas due to peer pressure and a fear of splintering unity. This aversion to standing out can result in valuable ideas being suppressed. Therefore, it’s essential to create an environment where bold ideas are not only welcomed but also protected and rewarded. The fear of having one’s “neck chopped off” for sticking it out can be mitigated by establishing a structure that supports and shields those who dare to speak frankly.

Creating such a culture of boldness and frank communication can transform team dynamics, making it possible for teams to converge on solutions that are both innovative and effective. By moving away from excessive niceness and towards a more open and assertive dialogue, we can better unite our leadership teams and ensure that they are addressing the issues that truly matter, leading to a more dynamic and successful organization.