Power Play: A spoonful of sugar… is just sugar

Power Players know that the old adage of a spoon full of sugar making the medicine go down doesn’t change the fact that the medicine still needs to be administered.

Power Players understand that sugarcoating might take the edge off a little, but in the end they still need to administer the medicine.

Power Players don’t live in fantasyland. They take reality (and honesty) seriously. Avoiding the truth and wrapping it up in pretty pictures and showy tricks will only weaken a Power Player.

Most of us can take the truth told honestly and gently. What we hate is dishonesty and avoidance. Power Players might joke around from time to time and dress up the bad news when it’s required, but they never run away from the tough speeches and the tough decisions.

Sugarcoating only gets you so far. Delivering medicine usually delivers respect as well.

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