You do have the answer.

I have worked in departments that had bad reps. A couple were mean and one didn't care. My current one does.

It is easy to get frustrated especially when you are running around in frenzy because something important crashed and people keep telling you the network is down.

However, from these groups I noticed the attitude was also shown by the manager so the manager has a large part in the attitude of his workers.

My current boss always hires people with people skills. As he would say "Technical abilities can be taught, you can't teach people skills." He may not get the best technical person. But a person who solves the problem and leaves the user feeling good does many things.

As I have noticed with this manager, he rarely gets denied purchase reuqests. Even when it was not budgeted. Why? because people think he and his people are looking out for their interests so if he says we need it, we must need it.

So there is no real need to yell at users. I know it is easier said then done and I have done it myself a couple times.

As to being brutally honest? Well that should only be used at certain times. Most people know when they screwed up. Some people will never get it. However, I would think when you have a user lets just say engineer who knows more then you!....well that is the time to be brutally honest.

Besides, you know you are not that way all the time. Would you ever be brutally honest to the assistent of the vice-president? The CEO? A policeman. A guy much bigger and meaner then you! ;-)

The manager who hired the cherry bomb was to blame. If his job required interaction with people....you can tell when a person can't do that too well!