Difficult conversations are an unavoidable part of life and business. No one looks forward to having them and we commonly avoid them for fear of the consequences. The ugly truth is, this avoidance usually makes the situation worse and ALWAYS hurts the relationship. The longer we put it off, the more frequently we become irritated and impatient with this person, to the point where it is difficult for us to remain objective when we do talk with them.
Because we are worried about their reaction, our approach is often to fully script what you want to say, we speak for 95% of the meeting, running through our rational and reasonable list of concerns, hoping they don’t react or ask too many questions, and get out of there. Job done! Right? Wrong. This isn’t a conversation, it’s a monologue. And the potential for them to engage with the feedback, let alone make changes because of it? Almost zero.
So how do we make it more of a two way exchange, where both parties take responsibility for the situation and the solution? Our infographic below gives you all the tips and techniques you’ll need for a more successful conversation.
Claire Huntington has over 15 years’ experience in senior and executive level human resource management and strategic leadership positions. Claire learnt HR under the wings of great mentors and through trial and error. She has a very practical hands-on approach to HR and management, and isn’t afraid to look outside the box. Claire is also mum to three school aged firecrackers and is an avid photographer in her spare time.
Disclaimer: The material contained in this publication is of a general nature only. It is not, nor is intended to be, legal advice. If you wish to act based on the content of this publication, we recommend that you seek professional advice.