Many times, I struggle between being candid and possibly hurting someone’s feelings or driving them to anger, or being silent and not sharing critical information or feedback at all. Certainly, it’s much easier to be direct and forthcoming when I am asked to be or paid to be as a consultant.
Why is this important for retail management? Why is it important for relationships? Research is clear that those who step up and deal skillfully with difficult or critical issues, rather than shying away, are significantly more successful than those who don’t. The capacity to talk about sensitive, high-stakes issues is a remarkable predictor of success.