In Episode 74 of the Talent Sherpa Podcast, Jackson O. Lynch and co-host Scott Morris take on a common misconception at work: safety has come to mean comfort.

They reframe the idea by arguing that high performance requires psychological safety and honest, often uncomfortable conversations. Using Pete Carroll’s “Tell the Truth Monday” as a model, they show how clarity and consequences can coexist with respect and belonging.

The discussion gets tactical. Jackson and Scott outline how leaders set outcome clarity first, then coach behavior against those outcomes with precise language.

They then shift to the CHRO’s job. CHROs should align the talent philosophy, audit performance management with the same rigor as Finance, and personally coach senior leaders on having direct performance conversations.

Jackson shares a real scenario where avoiding clarity in the name of comfort cost a capable employee her spot when the team had to shrink.

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