Yes, it’s personal

This week, the 2 Minute Tip covers communication tips on being a great boss, from Radical Candor, by Kim Scott. Yesterday, we covered “care personally,” and today, it’s “challenge directly.”

Challenging directly is not about assuming you’re the one with all the answers or about being right and making others wrong. It’s not about being brutal, but about brutal honesty.

And if you want someone to change their behavior, you have to be OK with it getting uncomfortable.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powel once said that being responsible sometimes means pissing people off, and Scott says if nobody on your team is ever mad with you, you’re probably not challenging them enough.

The thing is how you handle that anger.

When what you say hurts, it’s OK to acknowledge the pain.

Challenging directly means sharing your perspective and being open to having it challenged.

It means sharing your opinions openly, humbly, and directly rather than behind others’ backs.

Challenging directly means taking into consideration how your delivery might land with others.

Here’s one way to start.

Eliminate the phrase “don’t take it personally” from your vocabulary.

It’s insulting to tell someone else how they should feel.

And yes, it’s personal...to them!

Tomorrow, we’ll discuss why Scott called it “Radical” Candor.