Quick Spoon: Can people be honest with you?

Can people be honest with you when things aren't going well?

In this Quick Spoon, Dr Ryan Kemp reflects on why honest conversations about addiction depend on having an established, trusting relationship. He makes a point that applies just as much to managers as it does to professionals working with people experiencing addiction.

If a relationship is built around fear and compliance, how likely is someone to admit that they're struggling?

And this isn't about lowering expectations or avoiding difficult conversations. It's about creating the conditions in which people can speak honestly, even when the subject is uncomfortable.

So here's something to try.

Think about someone you manage or work with and ask yourself:

Am I creating a relationship with this person where they'll share the difficult stuff with me? And what small step could I take in that direction?

A short reflection on trust, honest conversations and the relationships we build at work.

This Quick Spoon comes from my conversation with Dr Ryan Kemp, clinical psychologist, addiction specialist and author of Transcending Addiction.

Listen to the full People Soup conversation: The culture of now: Ryan Kemp on addiction, work and what we reward.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

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