Are you willing to admit you’re embarrassed?

This post is part of our Weekly Tips series.

This story reflects one of the key points in the Get Real manifesto: Mistakes are inevitable; how you handle them reveals your true character.

Mozilla chose to handle their mistake in a trust-building way by using a caveat to openly acknowledge the discomfort (“Well, this is embarrassing”). Other caveat examples include:

• “There’s really no easy way to say this.”
• “You’re probably not going to like what I have to say.”
• “This is awkward.”

Caveats—spoken genuinely and without a “but” or “however” to follow—are conversational jewels. They make it easier for both giver and the receiver to initiate a conversation about a difficult topic.

Bonus: Making it Real

This week, practice using caveats. How?

Think about a challenging business relationship where topics are being avoided or negative patterns aren’t being called out. What isn’t being said that needs to be said? How might you use a caveat to get the conversation going?

Learn More

• Learn about six risks you should take to build trust.
• Read about the skill of risk-taking in Chapter 9 of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook: A Comprehensive Toolkit for Leading with Trust.

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Andrea Howe

As the founder of The Get Real Project, I am the steward of our vision and our service offerings, as well as a workshop leader and keynote speaker. Above all else, I am an entrepreneur on a mission: to kick conventional business wisdom to the curb and transform how people work together as a result. I am also the co-author, with Charles H. Green, of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook (Wiley, 2012).

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