If you're a reader of my blog, you've seen this recommendation before – and there’s a reason for that. Susan Scott is a personal hero of mine in our mutual industry of business and leadership coaching. In her book, she addresses what nearly every coach has encountered: conversation avoidance. Many do this out of an abundance of concern for others’ well-being, however, it is the opposite of kindness to avoid, be circumspect, or sugar-coat when delivering messages. Any leader or team I've coached (or led) has listened to me reiterate that a ‘comfortable’ environment is not my focus or concern, but rather a ‘safe’ environment is the goal. In fact, growth is inversely proportional to comfort. Dr. Scott will help guide you through the power of fierce conversations and the remarkable moments you will experience when people are speaking their truth. This is much different than simply using a buzzword, like ‘transparency’. This is about exploring, through conversations, the root cause of the issue and working to solve it, rather than circle around various symptoms ad infinitum.