Clear is Kind

I help women become more confident leaders. 

By taking high-value actions, that align with their values. 

Giving clear feedback is a great example. 

It’s a big topic - but a good place to start is Brené Brown’s philosophy:

“Clear is Kind. Unclear in Unkind.”

So, how clear are you with your team? 

Perhaps you feel uncomfortable giving “constructive” feedback, because you don’t want the person to feel bad. Maybe you know they struggle with self-doubt, and you don’t want to make matters worse. 

You value kindness…. and you don’t like awkwardness. 

So you sugar-coat, skirt around or avoid ‘constructive’ feedback. 

This was me until I realised that I was actually being unkind. I wasn’t offering the benefit of my experience to solve the problem. I wasn’t giving them the opportunity to improve.

Also, much more awkward to fire someone than to give them clear feedback! 

Another thing that helped me, was the realisation that I wasn’t commenting on their ‘worthiness’. I had nothing relevant to say in that area. It lightens the load to realise that a discussion about improving drafting skills, is not in fact a discussion about some deep character flaw or an evaluation of their potential for the future. ☺

Sometimes drafting is just drafting. 

In any event, if you value kindness as a leader, just a reminder that clarity IS kindness. 

Of course, you can (and should) deliver that with respect, compassion and curiosity. 

But clarity is what confident, values-led leadership looks like. 

Ten minutes of courage is all it takes.