11. Speak Straight.

Express yourself honestly in a way that moves the action forward. Be clear and direct, but thoughtful. Bring the water cooler to the meeting and have the courage to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when it’s necessary for team success. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.

Kevin's Message:

Think back to when you were growing up. As we matured from kids into young adults we experienced “growing pains”. Our bodies were stretching and getting bigger, and it naturally caused discomfort. The deeper meaning is that as things grow, there can be discomfort until we fill in the gaps that emerge as a result of being stretched.

Speaking Straight can be uncomfortable when we’re frightened about disrupting harmony, but remember:

• Discomfort can be necessary for growth and personal development
• You’re Doing the Right Thing when you address issues that can make Famous Enterprises better

Famous’s purpose is to Build Meaningful Relationships. Sometimes it’s easy to confuse meaningful/strong relationships for harmonious ones. Strong relationships don’t have to always be harmonious, and Speaking Straight is an example of this sentiment.

Speak Straight means delivering unfiltered and unbiased truth to the best of our knowledge to drive action for the best interest of the company.

The key is how we deliver our message. Are we “unloading” our negative feelings upon others? Or are we bringing up areas of improvement in a rational, constructive, blameless manner?

Take this week to practice Speaking Straight in a way that cuts to the heart of an issue. As we practice, we’ll communicate more openly and our relationships will become stronger. We’ll diagnose problems and solve them without placing blame or making excuses for why things aren’t as good as they can be.