There is a student who never raises his hand to ask questions in class. The teacher writes complex formulas on the blackboard, and he always nods, saying he understands. But come exam day, he writes a mess. The teacher calls him to the office and asks: "Do you really understand?" He stammers and finally says softly: Actually, I didn't understand, but I was afraid you would laugh at me.

This scene reminds me of a colleague in the company. She always nods in meetings, as if she knows everything. But when it comes to implementation, problems arise frequently. At first, I was angry and even nicknamed her "Liar." But upon reflection, she is very similar to that student: their lies are not to hurt others, but to protect themselves.

Living for a long time in an environment of "no mistakes allowed," a person will gradually learn to cover up. Rather than risk admitting "I don't understand," it's better to pretend to understand, at least to save face. But such lies can lead to greater chaos in the team: task understanding deviations, communication losing trust, and as a result, everyone has to pay the price for this lie.

Later, I changed my approach. After each meeting, I ask everyone to repeat their understanding of the tasks. When she hesitated for the first time and said "I actually don't understand much," I didn't blame her, but praised her honesty. At that moment, I saw her visibly breathe a sigh of relief. Gradually, she learned to ask questions, learned to seek help, and also gradually put down the mask of "pretending to understand."

Dealing with a "Liar" requires understanding and boundaries. I need to make her understand: Not understanding is not scary, pretending to understand is dangerous; admitting you don't know is not a weakness, but a form of wisdom.

As long as authenticity can bring safety and respect, lies will naturally lose their reason for existence.

Honesty is the most efficient productivity. The best atmosphere in a team is not that everyone understands, but that everyone dares to say "I don't understand."