Honesty in business, good or bad?

[McAttack]

If you're in a meeting with someone. An internal meeting. No sales pitches, nothing like that but a project meeting, or staff meeting, whatever. Do you think it's a good thing to be totally honest?

Meaning, do you find yourself having to babysit people you work with and tip-toe around what you really mean so you don't hurt their feelings or do you prefer to be straight out, unemotional and direct with people?

I ask because I honestly find it very hard to find people that truely like honesty. When I was younger, I had a boss that was incredibly direct with everybody. I found that so refreshing. Most people in the company didn't like him, they said he was mean. But in my view, he knew the difference between business and personal, and he never mixed them. I've always tried to use this in my life since then when dealing with people. I might be no-nonsense when it's business time, doesn't mean I won't party with you later. but some people can't do that.

Where do you honestly place yourself? In the business and private are seperate category, or do you mix them?