You don't hide what you think even in front of a group, and when it's needed, you say what needs saying whatever the mood in the room.
So in a meeting where everyone is waiting to see how the others react, you're the first to raise the problem, and you don't back down when an argument starts.
People see you as confident and self-assured. But someone in that room often goes home hurt by what you said, without saying a word.
What you're good at
You can bring up uncomfortable truths in front of a group. You're not afraid of standing up in front of people and you say what needs saying, so thanks to you, problems everyone was pretending not to see often come out into the open.
What you often hear
- “You always say what's on your mind.”
- “Did you really have to say that in front of everyone?”
What wears you out
Rooms where everyone is holding back are especially draining for you. When you can see a problem and no one brings it up, you end up stepping in, and after it happens enough times, you start to wonder, 'Why am I always the bad guy?'
For the people around you
You don't hide your thoughts, so the people close to you rarely misunderstand you. But when you push back on their opinion in front of others, what hurts them more than the content is being told they're wrong in front of people.
Worth trying
Save disagreements for when it's just the two of you, not in front of a group. The same words sound like an attack in front of others and like advice in private.