You’ve got to tell them, the people who follow you, the truth.  Completely.

Usually, leaders aren’t completely honest for a couple of reasons.  

One:  You don’t take it far enough and you are semi-honest.  Why?  You don’t want to hurt feelings.  But in not telling them the complete truth, you are elevating their feelings over truth, over progress, over needed change.  You are saying that THEIR feelings are more important than the organization.

Or Two:  You move from being completely honest to brutally honest.  You are overly honest.  You are elevating YOUR agenda for change over the individual that you are trying to change.  You are saying that YOUR feelings are more important than the organization.

Complete honesty.  They will respect you more when you do it, and without complete honesty, you really aren’t leading, you really aren’t helping - you’re pacifying them or you’re just pissing them off.  Strike a balance!