Honesty: the strengths advantage
Honesty is about speaking the truth, acting with integrity, and owning your choices
For product and transformation leaders, it’s the strength that builds credibility and trust across teams, stakeholders, and customers
At the senior Head of, Director, General Manager, and C-Suite levels, honesty becomes a leadership superpower because of the transparency and alignment that it brings
Examples of underuse. A Head of Product who avoids honesty may sugarcoat risks, leaving executives blindsided when deadlines slip or revenue projections are missed. A Delivery Director who downplays budget overruns risks eroding trust and confidence with executives, damaging their own reputation at the same time
Examples of optimal use. A Director in Transformation who practices honesty might openly acknowledge the tradeoffs required to make the right priority calls, ensuring stakeholders understand both risks and benefits. Even if it means their initiatives will be stalled. A CEO who communicates candidly about market challenges whilst outlining a clear path forward signals integrity, steadies investor confidence, and strengthens team resilience
Examples of overuse. Honesty taken too far can become jarring bluntness. A Head of Engineering who delivers feedback factually without tact may demoralise high performers, no matter how valid the feedback. A General Manager in Product and Transformation who insists on “radical candor” in every situation risks promoting behaviours that others may see as rudeness; creating division rather than unity
The sweet spot is honesty that builds trust without tipping into harshness. Product and transformation leaders who use this strength well create alignment, credibility, and momentum
Research shows that leaders who know, apply, and maximise their strengths experience higher resilience, stronger influence, and improved performance outcomes. Honesty is just one of the 24 strengths that we explore in The Strengths Advantage
The Strengths Advantage
Book your team into the half day workshop to embed trust and transparency, or choose the 90-minute 1:1 leader session to level up your own integrity driven leadership before the holiday break!