The Question
How can being direct diminish—instead of enhance—clarity?
Why it Matters
Being direct can result in the other person understanding precisely what you mean—there’s no beating around the bush. But it can also result in the other person entirely missing the essential insight. This happens when the needs of the receiver are not taken into account. Some people experience directness as harshness or even an attack—they contract and withdraw regardless of the speaker’s intent. Some people need a fuller sense of context—the message’s origins, what else it’s connected to, and why it matters. Other people need a conversational onramp so they are not panicked by suddenly merging into fast-moving traffic. Without an intuitive, agile, and context-intelligent delivery, being direct may do more harm than good.