Leaders who prioritise making people feel comfortable, rather than raising hard truths, can weaken their organisations’ performance, according to two HBR contributors. They argue that leaders who push past a fear of upsetting or disappointing colleagues, and instead focus on results and accountability, are better placed to sustain their organisations’ success. The piece frames this as a shift from being merely liked to being effective, with harmony-seeking behaviour cited as a barrier to necessary conversations and decisions.
The analysis was published by Harvard Business Review on 19 August 2026, written by Ron Ashkenas, a partner emeritus at Schaffer Consulting, and Gali Cooks, president and CEO of Leading Edge.
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2026-08-19.