The Trap of Lazy Candor
Why unfiltered honesty can damage trust and what real candor requires
Matt Hunter • September 9, 2025
Candor—the ability to speak frankly, openly, and honestly—is a powerful tool. When overdone, however, it can become harmful. And when used without intention, it becomes lazy. The appeal of “I’m just being honest” becomes a defense for communication that lacks mindfulness and intentionality.
True candor isn't about dumping every unfiltered thought or feeling just because it's there. It’s about sharing to improve the relationship, team, or outcome. Performed unscrupulously and without a clear purpose, candor turns into emotional dumping, oversharing, or even self-indulgence disguised as honesty.
We see this misuse of candor often, whereby people share their thoughts immediately and reactively, no matter the context or impact, as a way of “unburdening” themselves. This is just another form of bypassing—avoiding the deeper self-reflection that real candor requires. I call this “lazy candor” because it’s an easy release. It’s about relieving personal discomfort, not strengthening the relationship or team.
As a rule of thumb, if you’re not sure whether you should share what you’re thinking and feeling, the wise move is to explore those feelings privately—with a therapist, a coach, a friend, your spouse, or through personal reflection—before deciding whether and how to share. This kind of discernment strengthens relationships rather than putting them needlessly at risk.
Before sharing something honest, pause and ask yourself:
● What’s my intention in sharing this?
● Am I sharing this to fill some personal need?
● Is this for the good of the mission?
● How can I share it in a way that improves the connection or outcome?
Candor without purpose is laziness. Candor with intention is leadership.
Let’s look at some examples.
Lazy Script: Honestly, your presentation was a mess.
Purposeful Script: I want to give you some feedback on the presentation. It left me confused, and I want to talk about it, because I really value clarity (Feeling & Need). I noticed that 80% of the slides had more than 100 words on them (Observation). I know how much you care about getting the message across clearly, and this didn’t quite hit the mark. Would you be open to brainstorming how we can simplify it next time? (Request)
Lazy Script: I’m just gonna say it—I’m super annoyed with how you handled that client call.
Purposeful Script: During the client call, I noticed that when the client asked about the budget, it took you several minutes to answer the question (Observation). I felt concerned because I value transparency and clarity, and I want to make sure the client feels confident in us (Feeling & Need). Next time, I’d like to see you answer the question by stating the number and nothing else (Request).
Lazy Script: I don’t think you’re cut out for this project.
Purposeful Script: I want to talk about how things are going with the project. I’ve noticed that you have missed the last three deadlines (Observation). I’m feeling frustrated because I value punctuality, and I know that if deadlines aren’t honored, we won’t meet our goals (Feeling & Need). What’s been coming up for you, and how can I support you in getting back on track? (Request)
You get the idea. Be unapologetically honest; focus on the work, not the person; and keep your feedback grounded in observations, feelings, needs, and requests.
From here on out, you have full permission to be honest about the quality of the work, just do it with intention. Keep these guidelines in mind, and you’ll set yourself up to have tough conversations that are both effective and kind.