Business conversations work better when business leaders actively acknowledge potentially unpleasant information rather than run from it.
... To the team leader’s surprise, the mood in the room was far from contentious. There were nods and smiles as topics came up. Discussions about market shifts and potential new partnership roles were upbeat, albeit a bit flat. At the end, the legal teams agreed to draft revised contracts. Given the positive vibes in the room, the team leader was convinced that she had made all the right points. But when the documents were circulated several days later, the terms proposed were different from what was discussed—so different that the partner companies called for more data and more meetings. “Back to the drawing board,” the team leader thought. ...
Source: McKinsey
