Straight Talking Leaders: Applying the Six Laws of Absolute Honesty

Enhance your leadership skills by establishing a new standard of communication.

Let’s face it. In today’s organizations, straight, honest, no-nonsense communication is rarer than a corner office with a view. We’ve become masters of avoidance, tiptoeing around crucial conversations for fear of bruised egos, potential repercussions, or simply because, well, it feels uncomfortable. From hushed whispers in the hallway to carefully crafted emails that say everything and nothing, many of us avoid telling the truth when the truth needs to be told. And this reluctance permeates every level, from the executive suite to the front lines. The same holds true for those who work for us. They are equally hesitant to speak truth to power.

But this culture of reticence comes at a steep price. When managers operate in an echo chamber, shielded from honest feedback from their subordinates, they become like the emperor in the fable of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ – parading around in a fiction of their own making, utterly blind to the reality of their decisions and their consequences. The result? Foolish, ill-informed choices that can sink a team, a department, or even a company. Conversely, when employees are starved for candid feedback from their managers, they remain stagnant, trapped in a cycle of underperformance and missed potential. They lack the crucial insights they need to grow, adapt, and excel, ultimately devaluing the entire organization. Moreover, when team members feel stifled, unable to express dissenting opinions or challenge the status quo, innovation grinds to a halt, creativity dies on the vine, and the organization becomes a breeding ground for stagnation.

This program is a lifeline for team leaders, supervisors, and managers – whether they’re leading teams in the same office or across time zones. In this transformative session, communication expert Speaker Larry Johnson will provide you with a practical roadmap for cultivating a team culture where honest, direct communication is not only encouraged but expected and valued.

Learning Objectives

• You will be able to You will be able to review frameworks for giving and receiving feedback.
• You will be able to You will be able to identify techniques for facilitating difficult conversations.
• You will be able to You will be able to explain strategies for building trust and psychological safety.
• You will be able to You will be able to demonstrate increased confidence in their ability to communicate with honesty and clarity.