Be Honest

This one gets me mad fired up. You have no idea how passionate I am about this. There is nothing that I hate more than doing business with somebody who isn’t honest and open. I’m not talking drunk girl in the bathroom honest, I’m talking down-to-earth, sincere kind of honest. I hate being lied to. I hate being strung along and wasting my time. I can’t think of a single person that I have ever met that enjoys being lied to.

Here are some tips to make your work with your team and partners much smoother:

  • If you can’t take or use my business, don’t take meetings with me. We can continue to correspond over email, but I would hate to use my companies’ resources to fly out and meet you if there isn’t a chance in hell we will be working together.
  • Don’t lie about missed deadlines. Give me the courtesy of a timely heads up. Don’t tell me that something can be done on time if in fact there is no way that it can. I don’t like bad surprises. If there is going to be an issue and you notify me right away, I can act proactively. If you notify me at the last minute and I miss my son’s pre-school parent’s night because I am dealing with a dumpster fire that could have been prevented, we are going to have words.
  • Don’t know the answer. That’s fine. Let me know and we can work together to find it.
  • Late to the meeting – that’s okay. Don’t make up crappy excuses. I won’t believe them anyway.
  • Feel like a project is going in the wrong direction. Don’t let the train just go off the tracks. Speak up.
  • Don’t agree with a new policy. Let me know why and maybe we can adjust.

Being honest is a quality that every boss, manager, and college can appreciate. Being honest is more than just being upfront about missed deadlines and issues. It’s about speaking your truth and not holding back. Have you ever wanted to say something and didn’t and then three days later someone else says the exact same thing you were thinking and you’re like… “damn, I wish I had just said it when I thought it”? Be honest, be open and be you. If you say something that isn’t right or doesn’t make sense it can easily be ignored. What can’t be ignored is a missed opportunity because you weren’t honest with yourself and your team.

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