You aren’t in charge other people’s emotions, so you can’t control how you’re perceived when you discuss an uncomfortable topic. In a difficult conversation your priority isn’t how you come across. It’s communicating with clarity and honesty. You don’t control how a message is received. You control how you send it. It’s average for people to make their primary concern how they’re coming across rather than whether they’re clear and honest. They soften their real message and hide their true feelings in an attempt to avoid making themselves and the other person feel awkward. Don’t sacrifice the quality of your message in order to protect your image or someone else’s emotions. Keep the message you want them to understand in the center of your focus. Get it across clearly and work hard to make sure it’s understood, even if they don’t agree with it. It won’t be perfect. It may not be pretty. But it’s your top priority. #DisciplineIsTheShortcut #DoTheWork