live with integrity

Over the past several days, I have made an effort to be honest and direct with people. No more, “sorry we have to let you go, but you know what budget cuts are like.” Now, it is, “sorry, but your performance was not up to my expectations.” Perhaps more importantly, I am telling people directly what areas they need to improve.

Amazingly, this has not upset my world at all. In fact, things seem to be going better than before. Could this really work over the long term? Let’s wait and see.

I used to be a paragon of rectitude; now, I am ashamed of myself. Why do I lie so frequently about so many inconsequential things? Why am I unable to take the better (and much simpler!) path of calling it as I see it?

I don’t want to hurt other people and fibbing is often easier than being brutally honest, but I despise myself for doing it. Going foward, I will no longer spare people their feelings at the expense of my self-respect. After all, I would rather someone else hate me than hate myself.