The Gift of Clarity

In her book “Daring Greatly”, Brené Brown says, “Clear is kind” and “Unclear is unkind.” Many of us can relate well to this statement, particularly when we are the recipients of unclear communication. Why then do we often communicate in ways that are unclear or that fail to express what we really want to say? It is easy to communicate badly. It is more of a challenge to communicate well. Many of us have learned over the years how to keep things harmonious - often at the expense of our relationships and ourselves.

A valuable gift we can give those in our lives (both in the workplace and at home) is the gift of open, honest, clear, direct communication. If this strikes fear in your heart, you are not alone! The good news is we can be both afraid and courageous at the same time. This means that although you may feel uncomfortable entering into certain conversations, it is not an impossible feat. The next time you are avoiding a hard conversation, ask yourself:

  1. Am I being kind?
  2. Am I honoring this relationship by avoiding this conversation?
  3. Can I be afraid and do it anyway?

When you have the courage to use your voice in this way, it will give others permission to “be real” with you, too. Learning can be really rich if we resist “armoring up” and keep an open heart and a curious mind. Give it a try!

 

Further reading:

How to Handle Difficult Conversations at Work (Harvard Business Review)

 

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