Being honest at the times we usually resort to manipulation is not easy.

We may even wonder if being honest is the intelligent thing to do, since revealing our true perceptions exposes us to the rejection of others and may even make our work more difficult.

Truth has an open, bright, naked quality that we are unaccustomed to confronting directly, and which can be unsettling both to ourselves and to those around us.

But although we may find ourselves stripped of some of our working tools if we give up manipulation, we will soon find much more effective tools: honesty, clear communication, confidence in our abilities, and strength in our beliefs and convictions. 

Skillful Means