Mr Harsh

I've often been told that I'm straightforward in my conversations. This caught the attention of my wife who once remarked, "I wish I could be as straightforward as you." It made me wonder if there's a fear of being direct and possibly offending others. When something catches my attention like this, I try to dig deeper and understand what's going on.

While some people might think I overanalyse situations, I believe it is important to examine everyday occurrences to see if there are better ways to approach them. One day during an interaction, someone mentioned being uncompromising – they simply stated when they didn't want to do something and stood firm by their decision. Although rare and unusual behavior for many individuals, this resonated with me since those around us can appreciate such clarity.

To improve upon this approach, I began explaining my reasoning why I chose not to do certain things instead of merely harshly stating. Providing context behind these decisions, not only created understanding but also fostered recognition from those involved. If I was clear in my reasoning then I offered a model for people to test for themselves was my thoughts.

Yesterday my wife took our daughters to visit wedding venues. She candidly informed a venue hostess that one location wasn't suitable for them rather than wasting everyones time and going through the motions. This act of straightforwardness, combined with clear reasoning resulted in appreciation from the hostess.

It was the right thing to do...

The reason behind sharing this experience is simple: If you can recognise the value in your actions and share that understanding with others, it creates opportunities both for yourself and those around you. Having shared insights leads towards a winning strategy where everyone can move forward together positively.