I recently guided a client through a particularly tough situation, and during our conversation, they remarked that I was being harsh.
This caught me off guard.
“Why do you feel that way?” I asked.
“Because you won’t let me avoid this issue. You keep insisting I address it directly. You refuse to let me take the easy route.”
“Is that really what you want?” I inquired.
“Yes. Well, maybe. I know that reaching my objectives hinges on this decision, but I really, really don’t want to face it.”
“Then don’t make the decision,” I responded.
“But you’ll continue to point out what I could have accomplished if I had.”
“That’s correct,” I said. “Not because I’m harsh, but because I’m not NICE. NICE means ‘nothing inside me cares enough’ to tell you what you genuinely need to hear.”
Your friends and family might be NICE. They might avoid difficult discussions. But my role is to challenge you because others won’t.
You can rely on me for that.
So, what do you choose?
Being NICE or achieving real progress, growth, and success?
Make your choice wisely.