When I was a teenager I was a total rule follower. However, the one area that I consistently got into trouble was how I said things. “Please watch your tone” was not an uncommon phrase in my household and even in my classroom.

It took me learning lessons the hard way to become more conscientious of not only what I said but how I said it.

The way you show up, your body language, the tone of your voice, even the energy you give off, have just as much impact as the words you say.

As a leader, understanding this is essential.

This week, pay attention to how you deliver messages. If you’ve ever received feedback before, like me, where your tone can be misconstrued, open yourself up to learning how you can improve. Ask others if it is common for them to actually hear something different than you intended.

This week’s Fierce Resource was first published Monday on Seth Godin’s blog. Memo to The Modern COO, makes the case for redefining the job description of COO to fit the new demands of an organization.

” In the industrial era, the job of the chief operating officer revolved around two related functions: Decrease cost, Increase productivity. The company knew what needed to be done, and operations was responsible for doing it…In the post-industrial age, when thriving organizations do something different tomorrow than they did yesterday, when the output is connection as much as stuff, the objectives are very different. In today’s environment, the related functions are: Increase alignment, Decrease fear”

To read Seth’s full blog, click here.

Last week, Fierce CEO & President, Halley Bock published a piece on the Software Advice blog, The New Talent Times. The article, Why Honesty Is the Secret Ingredient of Successful Organizations, explores that a culture plagued by ‘terminal niceness” misses opportunities to innovate, enrich relationships, and grow the business.

Halley says, “Candor doesn’t simply happen organically. Organizations must proactively choose to encourage employees for being forthright and reward them accordingly. Our organization, Fierce, Inc., recently conducted a survey of more than 1,400 executives and employees found that an overwhelming—but predictable—99 percent of professionals preferred a workplace where co-workers discuss issues truthfully. How important is honesty? This survey found that 70 percent of respondents believed a lack of candor impacted their company’s ability to perform optimally.”

Last Thursday, Forbes contributor Erika Andersen, called out Halley’s article and weighed in on the topic of honesty in the workplace with her own piece, 8 Very Bad Things That Happen When Companies Are Too Nice.

In the beginning of her article Erika highlights Halley’s piece and says, “One sentence in particular caught my eye: “Our survey uncovered a disturbing statistic: 37 percent of respondents felt their organizations suffered from the malady of “terminal niceness,” valuing politeness over the pursuit of the best ideas and perspectives.” I’ve long seen the negative impact of ‘terminal niceness’ (great phrase) in organizations. In such organizations, people think the way to support and respect each other is to be polite at any cost: not to disagree, give people tough news, hold them accountable, or let them know when they’re not succeeding.”

Honesty in the workplace is a topic that impacts every level within an organization and the top and bottom line of a business. Within your organization, can you be honest?

To read Erin Andersen’s full article on Forbes.com, click here.

If you haven’t yet read Halley Bock’s full article on the Software Advice blog, The New Talent Times, you can do so by clicking here.

Fierce Conversation: One in which we come out from behind ourselves, into the conversation and make it real.

What does it mean to be Fierce?

This is a question we get asked a lot. Honestly, “being fierce” looks different with each person.

Above is the simplest definition that our founder, Susan Scott, defined in her book Fierce Conversations. On this blog we share tips about how you can be Fierce. Each week we try and give you food for thought that helps you practice the objectives of a fierce conversation: to provoke learning, tackle tough challenges, interrogate reality, and enrich the relationship.

So this week the tip is to be fierce, whatever that means to you. Remember though, the end goal is to always have a stronger relationship when the conversation is over.

So how will you practice being Fierce this week?

This week’s Fierce Resource was published yesterday by Ron Saich, Founder, Chairman & Co-CEO of Panera Bread, on his LinkedIn’s Influencer blog.

If You’re Learning, You’ll Never Need to Recharge shares how, after three decades, Ron Saich still views his work as a type of open classroom where he recharges his mind and spirit by engaging in the work he does and continuing his learning.

“Of course, I get tired. Eighty-hour work weeks and way too many red-eye flights will wear anybody down. Nor am I immune to the stress that comes with running a public company for 22 years and shouldering responsibility for more than 70,000 Panera associates. But thankfully, I’ve never experienced the chronic exhaustion, inertia, frustration, and cynicism that come with a temporary slump or even classic burnout. Hence, I’ve never had reason to refresh my spirit and renew my spark. The reason, I think, is that I view my work as a lifelong learning journey. I go to work to learn about how the world works. How humanity works. And what will work in the world.”

To read the full blog, click here.

When discussing how to be an effective leader, it’s not uncommon to use buzz words like trust and authenticity. Yet, what does it truly mean to be a leader who, day in and day out, cultivates relationships that are actually trusting and authentic?

When I reflect on the leaders who I have worked with, where the relationship is genuine and has a strong foundation built on trust, the common denominator is that the leader is consistent in their behavior and in turn, so am I.

These leaders set themselves apart because they acknowledge that being a a leader is hard. They handle the pressure of leadership by being consistently thoughtful, agile, and quick on their feet, while having an awareness of their emotional wake. In clutch situations their employees don’t “walk on egg shells” or wonder what outburst might happen next.

They also make time for their employees. Schedules are busy, we know! However, there is tremendous value in being consistent in how often you communicate with those that report to you. In our coaching module, we explore the idea of meeting regularly with those you lead. This is a time for your employee to talk, start the meeting by asking them: What is the most important thing we should be discussing today?

Being aware of your emotional wake, asking questions, checking in often – these are all areas, as a leader you can be consistent, and in turn build stronger relationships.

As a leader, where are you consistent?

The idea of authenticity may seem like a squishy one. It’s such a subjective concept, and yet there is something within all of us that respects and responds to those who are real with us.

This week’s Fierce Tip encourages you to look at the conversations you are having where you may be faking it. Then look at the type of relationship you have with those people and ask yourself: Is this what I want with this relationship?

If the answer is no, take this opportunity and begin to change that. At Fierce we believe the conversation is the relationship, so if you want a more authentic relationship, you need to start by having more authentic conversations.

The people in your less genuine relationships might not know what to make of your new behavior. They might not even like it, and that is okay. All you can control in this situation is you.

This week’s Fierce Resource was published yesterday on the Business News Daily website. The article features Fierce CEO & President, Halley Bock.

8 Things Bosses Say That Make Workers Happy, explores the importance of how leaders communicate with their employees and how what they say impacts the moral, engagement, and happiness of their workers.

“Employees want to know what is going on, and organizations need to clearly communicate with workers before final milestones hit.”

To read the full article, click here.

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Think about a leader in your life who people deeply commit their time, talents, and hearts to.

I’m talking about the kind of leader who draws out the greatness in others – even when people do not believe in their own greatness. This kind of leader thrives on creating an environment where people are all in.

In Pour Your Heart Into It, Howard Schultz says, “Success is empty if you arrive at the finish line alone. The best reward is to get there surrounded by winners. The more winners you bring with you – whether they are employees, customers, share-holders, or supporters – the more gratifying the victory.”

How do you become the leader who shares the wins?

Here are three tips to consider:

1. Give credit where credit is due. This is absolutely critical. If you do not give credit, there is no way that you will be the leader that people follow into the toughest challenges. There is nothing worse than putting your all into a project, and then the leader taking the accolades. Be a leader who highlights the accomplishments of others and openly shares how their wins impact the larger picture. Be specific.

2. Get out of their way. Once you have set clear expectations of what is needed, give your team the space to problem solve and not feel suffocated. This is where true ownership is built. When people brainstorm and act on their own plans, there is more pride in the work. Be cautious here though. It is important to be there if they need you. Let it be on their terms.

3. Encourage people to follow their instincts. This is where drawing greatness out of others lies. You need the people on your team to drive components with full confidence – this means that they must trust themselves. The Fierce Coaching model is a powerful tool for this, because it is about asking questions and creating self-generated insight. Try to not give advice. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is to ask questions, truly listen, and show your confidence with the next steps that he or she wants to take.

These three practices are not easy. It takes a courageous leader to truly develop others – to look outward and want to share something bigger.

Are you the kind of leader who shares successes? How do you do it?

This week’s Fierce Resource was first published on LinkedIn’s Influencer Posts by BuzzFeed President and Chief Operating Officer, Joel Steinberg.

Class of 2013: Ignore Your Commencement Address is about the tired advice recycled each year to graduates. It highlights that what really matters in business is the relationships you form.

“The only business advice I was given that proved useful was about how to treat people, operate, and behave, and it was not ever given in the form of advice – I just observed it in my mentors.”

To read the full blog, click here.