Difficult conversations are part of every workplace. Whether it’s delivering feedback, mediating a disagreement or addressing an issue, ignoring it only makes things worse.
But avoiding these conversations isn’t the right skill to have. Knowing how to have them is.
What Do You Want To Achieve?
The first thing you should do before you start the conversation is to define your objective:
What do you want to achieve from the conversation?
What do you want the outcome to be?
What result are you looking for?
When you have a clear goal in mind, you can keep the conversation on track and avoid getting emotional or sidetracked.
Remain Calm & Composed
It’s easy to let our emotions get the better of us in a difficult conversation. But this can lead us to making rash decisions that we may regret later.
Instead:
Take a deep breath and count to 10 before responding
Avoid raising your voice
Stick to the facts
Remaining calm and composed shows that you’re professional and respectful.
Be Clear, Direct & Respectful
The words you choose are important.
Avoid:
Using blaming language
Being confrontational or aggressive
Being vague or wishy-washy
Instead:
Be direct and to the point
Be respectful
Explain your reasoning
The words you choose can de-escalate or escalate the situation.
Be Willing To Listen
Communication is a 2 way street. Make sure you:
Don’t interrupt
Ask questions to understand
Try to see things from the other person’s point of view
This doesn’t mean you have to agree with them, just that you understand where they’re coming from.
Focus On The Solution
When you dwell too much on the problem, things can start to get heated. So focus instead on finding a solution.
Ask yourself:
What can we do now?
How can we resolve this?
What’s the next steps?
When you focus on solutions, you can turn a disagreement into a positive.
Summary
Difficult conversations don’t have to be awkward or painful.
When handled in the right way, they can be an opportunity to:
Build trust
Strengthen a relationship
Develop your skills
Learning how to handle difficult conversations is one of the most important communication skills you can master. And when you do, you’ll take your career to the next level in all areas.