306. If You Feel Too Direct When You Speak English, Listen to This

Effective communication for senior managers requires balancing directness and diplomacy. To help senior managers expand their range, this podcast episode explores how to convey the same message in different ways, ranging from direct to diplomatic, using specific workplace scenarios. For example, when addressing timing issues in a meeting, options range from the direct "This is taking too long" to the diplomatic "I believe the meeting is due to finish in 10 minutes." Similarly, when providing feedback, "This isn't good enough" contrasts with "I really appreciate all your work on this, I'm just a bit concerned it may not be ready for tomorrow." When rejecting ideas, the spectrum spans from "No, I don't like that" to "Okay, I mean, it could have legs, but perhaps we should discuss it further next week." The goal is to equip managers with the tools to choose the most appropriate communication style for each situation.