In my recent reflections on leadership, I was reminded of the need to communicate truthfully to others. This can be hard, because people may not be receptive to the truth and/or we may not communicate it clearly or discreetly. One area where honesty is needed is in the communication of expectations and limits. For example, in seeking to recruit a person recently I was reluctant to mention to him that he would have to work some on the midnight to eight shift, fearing that I would lose him. With another person I had to clarify his boundaries, as he tended to take on more authority than he had been given at times. Another area where honesty is needed is in the communication of people’s weaknesses and limits, as people tend to be unrealistic at times in their evaluation of themselves. However, it does them a great service to help them to see themselves as they really are, so that they can focus on what they do best. Along these lines I recently had to convey to an employee that she was weak in the area of organization when she viewed herself differently.