You know what I’m talking about. Can you remember a time when you were afraid to tell someone on your staff, team or even a client the truth because you were afraid to hurt their feelings? I’ll bet there’s a situation in your business where you held back being honest because you were afraid that if you told someone what you REALLY thought, you would risk losing the relationship?

Maybe a team member would cry and quit

Maybe a client would get mad and want their money back

Maybe they would stop “liking you”

Christina did something that is SO CLASSIC. As a matter of fact, what Christina was doing to the people who work for her is very COMMON. If this is how you operate too, you MUST solve this right away or you will keep losing precious time and money!

Christina is a Life Coach, and she had a tech person who created a stunning website for her but their copywriting was terrible. Spelling errors for days, bad grammar, and they kept missing her message completely.  After MONTHS of painful back and forth emails, time-sucking re-writes and phone calls about it, Christina finally got SO FRUSTRATED she called me to vent.  “They were unreliable, terrible at their job, and didn’t get her AT ALL!”. She said she had “Wasted thousands of dollars and hours and hours of time because THEY didn’t do their job”.

Wait a minute right there. WHO didn’t do their job???????????????

Christina didn’t do HER job.

It’s so easy to blame and complain but the truth is, if you are a CEO, Sole Proprietor or leader of your company or team, it’s YOUR job, to be honest.  Make clear what you want and need and BY WHEN. Here’s a tip for you. It’s something that Brene Brown says to her team  (yes, even Brene Brown has communication issues!).

Try this: The next time you give someone a task or job tell them “This is exactly what done looks like”. Explain exactly what you want and need and by when.

Stop trying so hard to be “nice”, people-pleasing and hiding behind your own fear of confrontation. It’s actually selfish and unprofessional and hurts EVERYONE, not just you.

In my next blog, Maybe it’s you and not them I’m talking about EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY when someone on your team blows it and lets you down. You have to set your team (and even your clients) up to succeed or your biggest fear WILL come true. Eventually, they will all leave you.

That never has to happen.Nancy was shaking and furious.

“I’m quitting – My boss is terrible”. Nancy, a client, was in tears over how her boss treated her.