01/08/2024

Learn to Speak Frankly While Reining in Rudeness

Don't forget: Some people consider directness rude or insensitive

The sophisticated and often nuanced manner in which leaders communicate is pivotal in forging or fracturing relationships with employees, colleagues and stakeholders.

As a Dutch-American CEO and founder, I’ve painstakingly navigated the intricacies of direct and transparent communication, learning to intricately balance forthrightness with empathy. The Dutch are renowned for our stark directness, a characteristic often erroneously perceived as brusqueness in other cultural contexts. Many times in professional conversation, I felt the other person's face portray the expression: "You said what?" even when my intentions were pure and good.

In the acclaimed Apple television series Ted Lasso, a memorably comic scene unfolds in a soccer locker room where the Dutch player Jan Maas bluntly criticizes his teammate's subpar performance, claiming his own to be superior. This candid, yet truthful outburst prompts a more diplomatic teammate to intervene, saying, "Jan Maas is not being rude, he's just being Dutch."

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.