When we’re at the receiving end of an instruction or a piece of news that’s delivered bluntly or without thought, it can make our hackles rise.   And what about when you’re the one delivering the message? You might be deliberately direct with your listener because a) you fear contradiction, b) you’re in a hurry, or c) you're trying to be honest. But often, it’s a simple lack of awareness of how your words sound, and it’s easy to forget about the impact you may have on the