We couch things and use obtuse metaphors or we gird our loins, bulldoze in and punch 'em inna face.
We panic about what it'll make us look like, what they think about us and end up with skin either too thick or too thin. Insulating ourselves, because that is the prevailing work culture.
So what's the alternative?
To really care - yup, that easy. If you really care about the person you're talking to, and spend time understanding their view point, figuring out the best outcome for them, and how best to work with them to get there, you end up being able to say it as it is... SPADE!
