Deliver Hard News with Compassion

The hardest leadership moments are the ones you’re tempted to avoid. But delaying tough conversations only makes things worse. Arthur C. Brooks shows why compassion is what allows great leaders to act decisively—facing hard truths head-on while strengthening trust. More from Arthur C. Brooks: http://themeaningofyourlife.com/ Books, tools, and more: store.hbr.org Follow us: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/ https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard\business\review Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters #HarvardBusinessReview #YourCareer #Career #Job #Work #Business #Harvard #HarvardBusinessSchool Copyright © 2026 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices