Sometimes, you may have the irresistible urge to hide your views, opinions and feelings from others. However, communication is far more complex than simply the words you use. Your inner thoughts and feelings can leak out in so many ways. You may be able to put on a good show, but often, other people can simply smell that something is wrong. As human beings, we are extremely well equipped to detect these subtle clues — albeit much of this is subconscious. The phrase “I smell a rat” springs to mind. Despite this, attempting a cover-up is often a very attractive option, particularly if you are meeting with formidable characters, or those who you think would be upset by your true thoughts. And yes, sometimes it is prudent to do this, but you need to take care because of the risk of your real attitude being detected. If you say one thing and the other person thinks you may be thinking or feeling something different, one could say that they have caught you being untruthful. That could have a big impact on the extent to which trust survives within your relationship. And, if you want to be more influential, trust is essential — well, if you want enduring influence it is! Whenever you notice the temptation to cover-up looming, consider... Read More