"Honesty without compassion and understanding is not honesty, but subtle hostility." Rose Franzblau
It's like the man saying, "no, honey, that dress doesn't make you look fat – you really are fat." That may be true, but it's not honesty. You have to be honest without being hostile – that's the best policy.
One of my favorite parts of the sales jobs was training new people. I enjoy giving genuine praise for things they do well, and only a couple of times have I really had to search for something good to say. One woman I had worked with approached me after a meeting. I had said something good about what she had done, and she asked if I meant it. I said of course. "You always say nice things to us," she said, "and I wonder if you just say it or really mean it." I was able to convince her that what she was doing was good, and that I was sincere. It took a while, but she eventually became one of our best people because she was so honest, and when she spoke, prospects believed her. Honesty with "compassion and understanding" is irresistible.
Now I know why you said what you said to me. I hadn't read this yet. Brilliant.
Posted by: D2 | August 10, 2006 2:08 PM | Permalink to Comment