The good news is, being brutal and being respected are not mutually exclusive.

Few of us have the willingness or capacity to be this honest 100 percent of the time. It’s not that we’re devious. It’s just that in certain circumstances, we become discomfort averse. We might want to spare someone’s feelings or avoid being the one to wreck the positive vibes in the room.

Truthfully, you can do the brutal thing without being brutal. Just explain your reasons!