Good leaders are straight talkers?

Carol Bartz, former president and CEO of Yahoo! says "Being honest and truthful is part of being a good friend, a good associate, and a good leader."

Admitting a mistake is also typical of a good leader. Ed Hochuli, who is an NFL official and partner of a law firm says, "If I made a mistake and I'm going to change it, I'm going to explain what it should be and I'm going to stand up for it ... What do you accomplish by trying to hide it?"

Good leaders also make it safe for people to be honest. "You have to make honest feedback a positive experience," says Alan Mullay, president and CEO of Ford. "I had to demonstrate with my behavior that I welcomed it."

In some cultures, straight-talking is considered politically incorrect, admitting a mistake is considered a weakness, and no effort is spent on building a culture that encourages straight-talking. You know what? It all points to a lack of leadership.