I am sharing with you a caring candor checklist for working with your people. Before having a candid conversation, make sure that you can answer yes to the following questions:

• Have I invested enough in the relationship to be candid with them?
• Do I truly value them as people?
• Am I sure this is their issue and not mine?
• Am I sure I am not speaking up because I feel threatened?
• Is the issue more important than the relationship?
• Does this conversation clearly serve their interested and not just mine?
• Am I willing to invest time and energy to help them change?
• Am I willing to show them how to do something, not just say what’s wrong?
• Am I willing and able to set clear, specific expectations?

If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then your motives are right, and you have a chance of being able to communicate effectively.

As you work with people and have candid conversations, let me remind you of one last thing: candidness is a two-way street. Let’s model the behavior. Solicit feedback, allow people you work with to be candid with you.