Ethan Evans

But I think clarity.

What happens with hard feedback is people are afraid of the potential confrontation.

And so they don't want to say something that might get blowback.

Well, that's not fair.

This happened and that happened.

They don't want the argument.

What I've learned to do is I call it being professionally firm while being personally warm.

So what I would do in a case like this with you is I would say, Cody, I need to discuss something that's going to be difficult.

And I want you to know that, like, I'm always behind you.

I'm telling you this in order that you can succeed.

That said, this last screw up didn't show enough attention to detail and we can't have any more of them.

And I need to tell you, this does, you know, more of this is not compatible with staying here.

Right.

Or I could use other words.

Right.

But could lead to the end of your job.

And I don't want that for you.

And so the trick is to show human warmth to the fact they care about you.

But a very unmistakable line of this performance doesn't fly.

And most people, if you've built the trust to where you believe that I do want to help you, then you can hear almost anything if you believe it's coming from a position of help.