Tag: saving face

Making a decision is uncomfortable.

We’ve sat in that meeting before.

The one where you know things aren’t right. The direction is off, the figures don’t align, and you know for a fact the customer isn’t happy.

You have three choices:

• Do nothing – This avoids tension and keeps you from joining “the table.” Live with the internal tension as it chips you away.
• Stop the meeting – Hollywood’s version of “telling it like it is.” This may work but it has a significant political cost. Don’t pay the asshole tax unless it’s necessary.
• Discuss after the meeting – Allow people to save face. This is uncomfortable to discuss, yet, has the highest return in long-term trust.

These options are in the order of tension you expose to the moment.  Tension creates challenge when deployed.

Those leaders who challenge, even when not the boss, win.

That takes tact. Let people save face when possible.